


The Art Of The Order

by wordscavenger



Series: Forget Not The Legacy [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Established Relationship, Finn is a BAMF, HurtPoe, M/M, Mentions of Finn's Past, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Stormpilot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 12:26:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7222273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordscavenger/pseuds/wordscavenger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Past and present collide for Finn and Poe when a training mission on a distant planet is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of the Order. As the boys and company struggle to find a way to escape, Poe must deal with deadly stormtroopers, keeping his team alive, and witnessing Finn tapping into sides of himself Poe thought had been left behind with the Order, along with learning things about his lover that he never knew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven’t updated in a while this took me ages to write! If you haven’t read my previous story “Healing Hands” some parts of this might be a bit confusing as it has a bit to do with a person from Finn’s past. But it can be also be read alone if you’d like. One-Five, TX-12, Sulz, and the Advancement Facility and Trials is mine. Zeros is from "Before the Awakening", which parts of that cannon novel I have referenced in my writing before. There's a lot going on in this story and I kept feeling like I was finding plot holes all over the place so if you see any or have any questions about something that I missed please let me know!

**_Bastatha System in the Outer Rim: Planet Designation BS-7680_ **

 

"After we cross that ridge we should reach the clearing well before dusk. We can set up camp here, by the water-"

"But not by the marshland, down that side," Kare pointed to a spot on the map. "Marshland means bugs. I hate bugs. I would literally rather drown in the sinking sands of Tatooine than deal with bugs. So-no. Marshlands. At all."

Poe looked up at Kare with a roll of his eyes and a grin. "Are you absolutely positive about that? You were a little unclear the first three times you said it.”

Kare only leveled Poe with a severe glare as her response.

“Alright. Yes dear. We'll keep you safe from the little creepy crawly creatures-"

"Creatures is too good of a word for them," she muttered as she punched him in the arm. "More like vermin."

"Which is another grouping altogether Kare," Iolo said coming up to his friends, chuckling as he stopped to survey their designated trail stretching across the map.

The three former New Republic Navy officers turned Resistance fighter pilots were standing around a small and ragged tree stump regarding a holomap that detailed their surroundings of an uninhabited planet consisting mostly of timberland and water channels that was so deserted it had no name other than its location’s designation. It flickered a soft blue from the datapad below it. Night was slowly settling around the dense forest they resided in, and the chirping sounds of the nocturnal creatures coming awake broke the silence in small bursts.

Poe nodded towards where the rest of their camp was set up away from them. Jess Pava and Finn were crouched over a pit they were trying to start a fire in. She was currently showing Finn the tools they normally used to light the kindling and Poe could see the man tentatively trying out the technique.

He addressed Iolo, "How's it going over there?"

Iolo followed Poe’s gaze before looking back at him, "Fine. Finn's a quick learner. It's impressive that he's been able to get so close to completing his medical training in just over six months." Iolo paused and put his hands on his hips before he turned to regard the map, though his mind was far from what its contents were showing. "It's almost unheard of, s'far as I know."

Poe frowned but didn't remark on his fellow soldier and friend’s words. Finn _was_ a quick learner, and it was no secret that his ability to efficiently retain, recall and implement given information was something he learned to do through the Order. A shaky comfort to those who didn’t know Finn as well as he did.

He looked back at Finn talking with Jess. Poe knew there was no denying that Finn was different from the rest of them. He was well trained in the art of battle; essential to any Resistance team but also purposely embedded with very real capabilities to take them all down if so chose to.

However, instead of using his training to become part of the necessary violence that resided on their side of the war, Finn choose to dedicate himself to an entirely different aspect: healing.

Having spent weeks in the medical bay recovering from his back wounds, Finn received first-hand experience in what it was like to heal, not destroy. While medical aid wasn’t completely new territory for him, Stormtroopers bleed to, he soon learned that what was considered basic medical training with the Order bordered just under a fully trained medic when compared to what the Resistance expected their soldiers to know.

Not until the incident at the hangar did Finn consider choosing the path of a field medic for the Resistance. He knew they were significantly lacking in qualified medics and wanted to help fill that need considering its very narrow and specific requirements. Medic's had to be able to physically keep up with soldiers and defend themselves and others in the field just as well as they needed the knowledge to heal or stabilize those soldiers during intense battles. Finn already knew how to handle himself in combat and he knew how to handle an injured individual. The rest was just learning the advance requirements of the trade.

Poe was beyond glad that Finn had found a place in the Resistance that not only made him happy but was allowing him to grow into the strong and resourceful member that he wanted to be; one that Poe knew he already was.

“Who cares if it takes six months? The quicker the better. Force knows we need capable field medics. And I’d rather him on our side now then the other way around,” Kara answered for Poe. He shot her a grateful look.

“So we good for tomorrow’s trek?” Poe said to change the subject. He knew he could be overprotective, a trait he never knew he possessed until taking Finn as a lover. And though the man could handle himself perfectly well, Poe couldn’t help but want to protect him as much as possible. Even if it was from his friends and their well-meaning concerns.

“Start early. Execute training exercises. Then finish by strategically avoiding marshland. Sounds like a plan to me,” Kare said, turning off the datapad and shoving it into her parcel.

As they started heading back towards the camp Iolo turned towards his friends. “What do you think Jess has cooking for us?”

“For the love of stars please don’t let it be nerf,” Kare moaned, placing her hands on her face. “I’m so sick of nerf.”

“Did someone say nerf?” Jess asked, picking up a long stick with a familiar dark meat attached to it.

Iolo and Kare groaned, causing Jess to ask, confused, “What?”

“Tell me again why we left the Republic’s Navy and all its amazing perks? Like edible food?” Kare pleaded to a grimacing Iolo and a smirking Poe.

“To fight evil and be spared our lives when the Order finally attacked?” Iolo offered.

Kare sighed and took the stick Jess offered her, “So not worth it.”

Poe ignored them and walked over to Finn who was placing tools back in his travel pack. As usual the area he worked in was always organized and decluttered by the time he was finished with whatever task he’d accomplished. Finn wasn’t obsessive about neatness, he could stand the occasional mess, but he admitted that his desire for a clean workspace was a hard habit to break. A habit that Poe didn’t think was worth encouraging him to stop since it was actually helpful to them both. And Poe couldn’t deny it; he kind of found it cute that Finn liked everything in its place.  

“How’d it go?” He placed a gentle hand on the small of Finn’s back and smiled at him. When the General told them to plan a field training retreat for Finn to test out his new medical skills in a specialized environment, Poe had to admit he initially didn’t take her request entirely seriously. Well, he planned to do exactly as she asked without complaint, but he was also hoping to turn their trip into a little vacation away from the Resistance and to spend some time to themselves. It had been almost a month since their last trip off of D’qar and Poe was surprised by how much he wanted to travel with Finn again.

However, now Poe seriously suspected that Leia was a bit more Force sensitive than she denied being because before he knew it Jess, Kare and Iolo were suddenly joining them on the retreat to, in Leia’s words, ‘assist in Finn’s training’. He didn’t miss the smirk she gave him at the meeting when he had to reluctantly agree with part of his crew now a becoming an unwelcome addition to the trip.

Even Finn insisted that he wanted to take this example mission seriously, not only to monitor his new skills and identify possible weak areas but also to prove to the others that he could be a reliable part of a team. Before they even boarded their ship to head to the planet, Finn laid down non-negotiable ground rules with Poe: no fraternizing in the tent, excessive PDA, or cutesy nicknames. _Especially_ around the others. All things Poe was already very guilty of having tried to break a time or two, or four, before landing on the uninhabited planet the day before. Poe might have pouted and complained a bit, but eventually he reluctantly agreed, knowing this training session was important to his lover.

It did not, however, deter him from giving gentle touches and stolen kisses to Finn whenever he could. Luckily Finn was hardly resisting them when they happened; but only during the downtime of the training exercises. Poe had restraint, to an extent, but he wasn’t going to go a full twenty-four hours without touching Finn. He wasn’t a Jedi for kriff’s sake.   

And if Finn was being honest with himself, he wasn’t one either. So at times when he responded positively, like now as Finn leaned into the touch, smiling, Poe considered it a definite win when Finn occasionally bended his rules for him.

“It didn’t go too bad,” Finn answered. “Got the fire started using Jess’s tools.”

“First try too,” Jess said encouragingly before taking a huge bite into the meat. Beside her Kare nearly gagged.

Poe ignored Iolo’s sharp look at Finn to pull him closer, giving him a bright smile. “Nice buddy. I’m all thumbs when I try to make a campfire so from now on you’re in charge of all fire making duties.” His smile turned mischievous. “I’ll call you Captain Pyro.”

Finn rolled his eyes and shoved the man away gently to continue his packing. “You’re a strange one Poe.”

But Poe caught the smile tugging at Finn’s mouth and as he walked towards the others sitting in tattered camping chairs around the fire he called back, “You always say that but you keep coming back for more.”

Jess tossed Poe a stick of meat and said, “No innuendos. That was rule seven on our list of things Poe can’t do or say around Finn that’ll make the rest of the group need counseling,” she joked. “Lots of it.”

As Finn took a seat next to Poe Kare chimed in, “Yeah Poe. Don’t make us ship you off this planet early cause you can’t check your sex drive in your flight suit.”

“What? I am the perfect example of restraint,” Poe said sounding mock hurt as he offered Finn his stick. But Finn shook his head and instead started munching on a protein bar which Poe’s feelings for those mirrored Kare’s for nerf. Indigestible.

“Not in the mood for charred meat?” Kare asked Finn as she witnessed the exchange between the two men. Jess tossed her empty stick at Kare who dodged it with a laugh.

Finn turned to her and shook his head. “No offense to Jess’s cooking skills. Just when I’m doing field training I try not to eat from the land if I can avoid it.”

“You do much field training back at the Order?” Iolo asked, trying to sound casual but given their most recent conversation Poe shot Iolo a warning glare.

If Finn had picked up on what Iolo was trying not to say, he didn’t seem to outwardly notice. Instead the man shrugged and said, “Yeah. Pretty regularly.”

“You don’t have to talk about your time with the Order if you don’t want to,” Poe cut in, placing a hand on Finn’s arm. “It’s really _none_ of our business,” he finished, turning back to Iolo.

“Sorry. Just can’t help but be curious,” Iolo said with a shrug, then continued on as if Poe hadn’t said a word. “Wasn’t sure if they kept you locked up on a ship all the time. Doing field sims instead of actually letting you guys see sunlight.”

Finn gave Iolo a curious glance, but kept his voice light when he answered, “I would have definitely preferred simulations compared to what we had to do, but no. All terrain field training was kind of an unavoidable part of the Stormtrooper package.”

“All terrain?” Kare asked.

Finn nodded. “Every planet side scenario you could think of. Wastelands of ice and snow. Deserts, bodies of salt and fresh water, timberlands,” he gestured to the large trees surrounding them, “how do you think I was able to walk miles in Jakku without getting sunstroke?” He nodded towards Poe and gave him a good-humored shove, “Not everyone got their butts saved by the locals.”

“Hey!” Poe protested, “More like I saved him. That maneuver on that speeder was make or break you know.” he shifted in his seat before folding his arms, “And by that I mean make it the hell out of there or those scavengers were going to break me in two.” He recalled his narrow escape from Jakku’s desert when he and Finn were separated after escaping the Order in a TIE. A local did save him from being stranded, but he in turn saved them both when ruffian scavengers attempted to rob him and the native. Only when he successfully pulled off a speeder trick that left his pursuers in the dust were they able to escape.

“I know,” Finn laughed and ran a placating hand down Poe’s arm before he turned back to the others, “But we did occasionally use simulations. Though they were more like,” he paused as he tried to recall them, “like metropolitan runs, severe weather or active battle focused.”

“Wait,” Iolo said. “So you’re saying a good portion of your outdoor training was done in real-life scenarios? Wouldn’t that have been difficult? Constantly transporting so many of you guys to different planets based on their topography?” He looked around at the others before turning back to Finn. “Weren’t they worried about getting caught by travelers or New Republic patrols?”

Finn shook his head. “They didn’t transport us anywhere. Each terrain was planet side surrounding our facility.”

Everyone remained silent for a moment, taking in what Finn had just said. Finn frowned at their speechlessness, looking around at them in confusion before asking, “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“What do you mean what?” Poe asked. “How could it all have been right outside your facility? I’ve never heard of a planet having every kind of terrain within distance of one building.”

“You saw what they created with Starkiller,” Finn said. “You surprised that they could create something like that?” He reached out and grabbed Poe’s empty stick. “Here I’ll show you.”

He crouched down and started brushing away sticks and leaves until only brown earth remained. He began to slowly draw on his dirt canvas illuminated by the fading sunlight and flickering flames.

The Resistance members all leaned forward and watched as from memory Finn recreated the place where he spent most of his life. All of them silently realized Finn was allowing them a brief glance into a world very few knew about outside the Order.

“So here’s the advancement training facility,” he pointed to a large angular building with additional smaller buildings surrounding it. “Newborns to advancement year eighteens live and train here. Once you graduate you’re then placed where you’ll begin your designated post, which is dependent upon where that training takes you: officer, solider, noncom. But until then, this is your, well, home. I guess.” He looked up at the group, giving them a wry smile. He knew considering this training facility a home was hard to comprehend, but still, it was all he had growing up.

Looking back down at his creation, he then began to create a large circle surrounding it. “This,” he explained as he drew, “is where we had the Trials.”

“Trials?” Poe asked, half a whisper at what he feared was coming. Already he wasn’t liking what he’d heard, but wasn’t sure he could ask Finn to stop. A part of him knew he needed to listen to what Finn was sharing with them, even if it was difficult to hear.

“The Annual Advancement Survival Trial,” answered Finn, not hearing the fear in Poe’s voice as he was focused on his work. He crouched back onto his heels, “Though the trainees just called it the Trial.”

“A-annual?” Poe said, biting his lip and, unable to stop himself, he slide off his seat to crouch down next to Finn who gave him an unknowing nod. Poe regarded the large circle and could hardly imagine how the Order was able to create such immense training grounds. And how they could possibly consider it normal to force people to train in it.

“Yep. Every year we visited a different terrain to test what we learned that year in our advancement training. If we made it back, we graduated.” Placing the stick back on the ground, Finn drew out the words snow, forest, desert and water. Each word was placed in a different section around the facility boarding its terrain. Ice in the north, forest to the east, desert to the west and water in the south. 

“Meaning you made it to the-the next advancement year?” Poe asked, placing a hand on Finn’s shoulder though it was more to steady himself. Finn didn’t talk about his time with the Order often, but when it did it always left Poe with a sick stomach at learning what his lover went through under their command.

“Exactly,” Finn answered turning to Poe.

“How old?” Poe asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer. “How old do you have to be to start the Trials?”

“Advancement year ten,” Finn answered with a sigh. “My first was north, the snow-lands,” he shivered in remembrance, “That was…unpleasant.” But he quickly shook himself off and continued, “So I’ve had a bit of field training.”

Poe had made a noise mixed between a growl and sob when his mind conjured up an image of a young and tiny Finn shivering in the cold as he had to make his way through an ice-filled wasteland. Rage at the Order filled his chest and spread to his limbs so fast he began to fidget with the need to do something. He bit down on his lip and run a frustrated hand through his hair as he tried to hold back the angry words he wanted to say.

Luckily Jess saved him from suddenly shouting expletives about the Order by speaking first.

“A bit?” Jess said with a whistle, trying to change the subject when she noticed Poe’s face growing red with anger, “You’re a pro Finn.”

Finn gave a small shrug and quietly said, “Just did what everyone else did.” He went to wipe the drawing away but Kare sunk to the ground and grabbed his wrist to stop him after a thought occurred.

“Could you get back to that planet if you wanted to?” she asked as she let go of his hand.

Finn shook his head. “No. They keep the location severely guarded.”

“No rumors? Or clues?” she pressed.

“First time I saw the place I was a kid. Little older than an infant, I think. Most of those I trained with were brought there from the outside too and were around the same age. And when we graduate we’re put into a cryosleep so no one will know the facility’s location in case we’re captured and interrogated.” He knew what she was getting at. Invading and capturing a First Order Advancement Facility would be undoubtedly detrimental to the Order. 

“What were they like?” Jess asked excitedly. “The Trials? Did you have to learn how to swing through vines or breathe under water?” she gasped, “Oh! Oh did you have to learn how to sleep inside dead animals? I’ve heard that was a thing that sometimes happened on ice planets if you got lost in storms.” She made a ‘whishing’ sound as she mimicked opening up an animal’s stomach. “Oh and-”

But Iolo cut her off. “And what was the point of the trials? I get field training, but don’t you think this,” he gestured towards the ground, “is a little extreme?”

“Control of the galaxy means control of every planet,” Poe answered Iolo’s question with a quiet, defeated sigh. “Knowing a planet’s topography can be a huge advantage during take overs.”

Finn nodded at Poe before turning back to Iolo, “Right. We had to be well trained for every type of landscape, but some people reacted to some places better than others. Some did well in the snow while others could barely stand the desert. Some handled navigation better than active ground missions. Everyone can learn the same thing in a classroom, but this,” he pointed to his crude rendition of what was once a huge part of his life, “was applying those skills to active situations in an uncontrolled environment.”

“Then placing you guys where your skills showed the most strengths,” Poe grunted, his anger barely even starting to subside. He wondered what Finn had to endure that brought him to being chosen for the position that would eventually lead them to each other. Even at what Finn had hinted at so far was hard to stomach.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that Finn,” Kare said as she sat back into her chair.

Finn gave her a confused look before he stood, offering Poe a hand to stand as well. Poe held onto it after he was upright and when they sat he pulled his chair closer to Finn’s and refused to let go. Finn gave Poe a confused but pleasant smile at the contact, squeezing it tight with an affectionate look before he turned back to Kare.

“Like I said. It was all part of the Stormtrooper package.”

“This all sounds super dangerous though,” Jess said as she regarded the map. “You said uncontrolled? So that means once you were in the Trials you were on your own?”

Nodding, Finn answered, “Yeah. But we received extensive training before entering the Trials. Weren’t ever given anything we weren’t already trained to handle.”

“Ever loose anyone?” Iolo asked. Everyone except Finn turned and shot him a glare but he just shrugged them off. “It would have happened though, right? Tossing you guys into this mess and expecting you to come out without any problems? No kriffing way.”

“No,” Finn answered, “I mean yes, there were people who didn’t gra-didn’t make it back. I know now that it was wrong. All of it.” he looked back down at the ground, “Came close once, but no. I was never with a group that lost anyone.”

“How’d you almost loose someone?” Kare asked. It was terribly nosey, she knew, but Finn had been willing so far to share this part of his past with them, she couldn’t help but ask.

Finn reached down and grabbed his protein bar, shaking it a bit. “Consumption of unapproved forage. He went into anaphylactic shock.”

“Ah. Gotcha,” Jess said. She winked at the man and made a clicking noise as she pretended to shoot him with a blaster.

Poe watched Finn settle back into his seat with sad eyes, though his lover didn’t seem to notice. Just when he thought he had heard everything the Order had put him through there was always something else right around the corner to once again amaze Poe as to how Finn came out as whole and kind as he had.

“Well I’m glad you made it through all those trials,” Poe said, trying to keep his voice light. “Couldn’t imagine what it would be like without you here.” he swallowed down the sadness that had nestled in his throat. A part of him wanted to know more but another part of him wondered if he could handle even one more story of Finn’s past.

“Here, here!” Jess exclaimed, holding up a new meat stick.

“Here, here!” Kare chimed in, causing Poe to follow suite as Finn laughed and shook his head at the group.

“Anyways,” Iolo cut in before rubbing his eyes at their antics and all this new information from Finn. “Since it’s getting late we should crash soon. But before we do we should go over the next day’s plan. We mapped out tomorrow’s trek so we should get an early start-”

“Boo,” Jess interrupted before taking another mouthful of meat. “Story time.”

“Oh yeah!” Kare said. “Finn’s already kind of started it. And it’s been ages since we’ve had a new person who hasn’t heard all our tales of adventure and daring feats of bravery.”

“All of which are true,” Poe said, tilting his head at Finn with a smirk that could have meant they were. Or weren’t. Finn raised an eyebrow but kept silent, enjoying the exchange between the soldiers.

“Guys the trek-” Iolo tried but Kare whacked him gently on the arm before she said, “Can’t the rundown of tomorrow’s oh so fun filled itinerary wait until, you know, tomorrow?”

“You’ll be half awake and won’t pay attention to a word,” Iolo tried but Jess just shifted and plopped her feet onto his lap.

“Perfect. Sounds good to me. So who goes first?”

“How about Poe? Since his boy-toy is our guest audience,” Kare said with a smirk.

“Don’t call him that,” Poe said annoyed and tossed his dirty stick at her. His overprotectiveness was on overdrive after hearing Finn calmly recount such a dark part of his past. He would be lying if it didn’t unnerve him a bit.

“What about you Finn?” Iolo asked, trying to sound nonchalant. “You’ve shared some stuff about those Trials. What about any interesting stories about life on or off the First Order’s Finalizer? Or during your training?”

Poe wished he still had the stick so he could drive it through his friend’s eye. He knew what Iolo was trying to do and he could tell the others did as well as they shifted uncomfortably and regarded Iolo with a confused frown.

But before he could once again tell another friend to leave Finn alone his lover sat back and said, “Despite what I said about the Trials it was all just field training. Pretty much the most interesting adventure I’ve ever been on you guys already know about.” he shrugged. “I wasn’t really living any kind of life worth talking about until I left.” That Poe was a big part of this better life was left unsaid, but not unnoticed as he looked over at Poe and was unable to contain a knowing, loving smile. Poe, along with the rest of the group, wasn’t sure if they had ever heard such sincerity come from a person before.

Touched, Poe squeezed Finn’s hand, smiling at Finn’s blushing look as he tightened their fingers laced together. There was plenty he wanted to say but wouldn’t in front of his friends. He knew how uncomfortable Finn could get when there was PDA involved, so he shelved them away until later.

Iolo cleared his throat and had the decency to look a little ashamed when he said, “Right. Okay. Well-Poe how about you start off? Tell Finn about the time you pretended you were a space pirate so you could hijack a New Republic Senator’s cruise ship?”

Finn’s mouth dropped open in surprise before he turn to Poe to exclaim, “You did not!” At the same time Jess started laughing and shaking her head in disbelief.

Kare rolled her eyes at Iolo, glad for the distraction. “That was _supposed_ to be classified.”

Iolo shrugged. “We don’t have to say why he did it.” He looked over at Poe and gave him a small smile.

“Well it’s not like I did it alone. Iolo. Kare,” Poe said, dragging his friends under the landspeeder as well.

“Okay guys. Spill. This I’ve got to hear,” Jess said breaking them out of their stares.

Poe laughed, “Okay. It all started when General Organa requested to see me…”


	2. Chapter 2

“And then when the fifth rathtar made it to Trillia’s main public hangar it gorged itself on the rest of the survivors of the crashed starship-”

“Oh kriff okay Finn you can stop now,” Poe moaned before he leaned forward in his seat to wrap an arm around his now extremely queasy stomach. “I think I’ve heard enough.”

“Does that mean my story was scary enough?” Finn asked, a hint of laughter in this voice.

Poe shot Finn a glare, but was silently berating himself for ever mentioning the tradition of telling scary stories by the campfire. After all the others had shared tales of their past adventurous exploits, Finn had confessed to Poe that this was the first time he had ever seen something like that. He didn’t mention it until the others had long ago retired, leaving the two of them with the first watch of the evening. Though it was just a training mission the very real possibility of danger could come in any form, even in a seemingly uninhabited planet.

Poe, feeling bad that Finn hadn’t been able to join them, had tried to make him feel better by suggesting telling him a scary story, as per the tradition of campfire stories. After Finn explained that he didn’t really know any fictional stories, especially scary ones, Poe then suggested telling a scary true story.

A suggestion he now regretted immensely.

“More like gory enough. Ugh. I can’t even imagine,” Poe said as he shook his head at Finn’s retelling of the Trillia massacre.

Finn mumbled something that sounded like ‘I can’ before he shifted and habitually perched his feet up on Poe’s lap who then held them there with firm hands gently running up and down the fabric.  

“You’re an amazing storyteller,” Finn said quietly before he reached out to grab Poe’s hand again. Poe quickly grabbed on, glad that Finn had become even more confident with initiating contact between them during this mission. This had been exactly what he had envisioned when he was first given the mission with Finn. Peace. Quiet. Gentle moments shared between them that would burn slow until the passion grew so intense it threatened to overwhelm them both. He loved traveling with his friends, but he was more than ready to create and share new memories with the man he loved.

“Well. You’re an amazing listener,” Poe replied smoothly, taking Finn’s feet off his lap to shift his chair closer. “You’re pretty amazing at other things too,” he continued as he leaned forward to a smiling, knowing Finn. He ran a hand up along Finn’s neck to curl his fingers at its base, pulling him in closer while his other hand toyed with the all too familiar leather jacket Finn rarely went without.

“Pretty sure it’s only because I have an amazing teacher,” Finn joked, his voice husky with anticipation that made the word _yearn_ pale in comparison to what Poe felt.

Poe couldn’t wait anymore. He tossed any clever banter his mind tried to fathom as he closed the distance between them to press his lips firmly to Finn’s. Nothing in the verse compared to a kiss from Finn. The soft caressing of their mouths together created an eruption of emotions that harkened back to their many nights spent wrapped up for hours in each other’s arms.

Feeling his desire steadily rise, Poe wondered how far he could take this. The others had retired long ago, so they were most likely dead asleep. He could easily drag out both of their sleeping bags, nestle them by the fire, and pass the next two hours together pleasantly enjoying the each other.

They were still technically keeping watch. 

Suddenly Finn stopped, turning his head to the side which allowed Poe perfect access to Finn’s strong neck. He began a slow and wet trail of kisses along the muscles he felt under his lips, mumbling against the skin, “So are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“The Order.”

Blinking out of his daze Poe lifted his head and said, “That-well that’s definitely not what I was thinking-”

But Finn cut him off by grasping his elbow tight and whispering, “Sh.”

Poe heard nothing besides insects buzzing their nightly rituals. He scanned the horizon but only saw darkness past what little light their dying fire was giving. For a moment he considered that maybe being off the base in this kind of environment was affecting Finn; that he was seeing monsters in the dark that weren’t there.

“Finn-” Poe began but the other man stood and walked a couple of steps away, a loss that Poe felt greatly as the cool night air replaced the heated soldier who was once in his arms.

Finn seemed to be scanning the darkness as well, but when Poe stood to walk over to him he realized the man’s eyes were closed and he wasn’t breathing. His stillness unnerved Poe in a way he was unfamiliar with.

Suddenly as if he’d been shot Finn’s eyes opened and he said, “Tracking vessels. Four, as far as I can tell. We have to move.”

He turned and grabbed the bucket of dirt by the fire, dumping it unceremoniously onto the pit and pitching their world into darkness.

“Kriff Finn,” Poe said and went to grab the man by the arm, though he nearly missed as he fumbled around in the dark. The planet had two moons, and once his eyes adjusted he would be able to see decent enough in the dark, but until then he was nearly blind. “What are you-?” he started then stopped, because finally he heard it. The unmistakable sound of a First Order ship’s engine whine, slowing getting closer. Panic began to bubble up from his chest and desperately dared to come out but he quickly clenched it down.

“What the hell are they doing here?” Poe hissed.

“I don’t know. But those ships are equipped with heat sensors,” Finn said, shifting to take Poe’s hand without any trouble. “They’re less than twenty clicks away, doing recon no doubt. They _will_ find us.” His tone bore no doubt. No hesitation. Only fact. Poe squeezed Finn’s hand and wondered how Finn could already so easily see him in the darkness. “We have to move.”

Nodding, he quickly shifted into solider mode: mission survival.

“I’ll get Iolo,” Poe said and gestured his head towards the other tent. “You grab the girls.”

Finn hesitated for a moment, then said, “Poe I-”

But he never got to finish. A loud explosion rocked them both as bright light flashed a few feet from their left before chunks of earth rose and fell around them.

“Kriff they’re here!” Poe yelled and darted towards Iolo’s tent, dragging the man now staggering out of it in confusion. He cast a quick glance towards the other tent where Finn was leading Kare and Jess out of it and towards the forest.

“What the kriff Poe?” Iolo exclaimed as another blast whirled past and hit a tree across from them, breaking it in two. The impact caused them to fall to the ground, dodging another blast zooming just above their heads.

“Move!” Poe yelled and grabbed Iolo’s jacket, dragging him back standing to race towards the forest just as the damaged tree fell upon Iolo’s tent with a thundering boom.

They blindly weaved through the dark trees, dodging branches and jumping rocks like a relay. Poe kept hoping he would see Finn and the girls somewhere nearby, but the light from the two moons only illuminated so far in between the trees, and he saw nothing.  

Behind them he could hear blasters decimating their camp, looking for any stragglers. He was thankful that this was only a training mission, and that there was nothing important or confidential for the soldiers to find, but at the same time he hadn’t a clue as to what the Order was doing on this backwater, no nothing planet.

After the echoes of the Order’s blasters faded and they had run as far as they felt safe to, Poe eventually staggered to a stop, sagging against a tree as blood rushed through his ears and his chest heaved in desperate gasps for oxygen.

“Kriff! What the kriff Poe? What the hell is the Order doing here? Of all places?” Iolo asked in between his own panting. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees before sinking to the ground and then running his hands through his hair.

“Hell if I know,” Poe answered. He scanned the foliage around him, not only on the lookout for the rest of his team but for any locator droids or troopers who might have followed them. If he had a spare moment before the Order attacked he would have grabbed a nearby parcel with some much needed tools for surviving quick travel in the forest, but the sudden bedlam prevented that helpful attempt.

Iolo followed Poe’s movements in surveying their surroundings. “We need to get to the ship and get out of here.”

“Unfortunately,” Poe began as he walked over to Iolo and held his hand out to help the man up, “the Order came at us from the East. Which is coincidentally exactly where our transport is.”

“So that’s how they knew to come looking for us,” Iolo realized. He grabbed Poe’s offered hand and stood. “Found our ship and knew they weren’t alone. And that we were Resistance thanks to our ship’s nifty symbols all over it.”

“Makes sense,” Poe answered with a sigh, and looked around them again, desperate for Finn and the others to show up. But he only saw darkness and heard the creatures that lived there. 

“I’m sure they got away too,” Iolo grunted reassuringly and gestured his head east. “They’re probably thinking the same thing as we are. We need transport off this rock. Can’t do too much against the Order now when we haven’t got any weapons, or even an idea what they’re doing here.”

Poe agreed. “I don’t see any other way around it. As far as I know there were never any settlements here so we’re on our own. If we can’t get to our ship we’ll just have to come up with a plan to borrow one of theirs.” He smirked. “I’m sure they won’t mind. Didn’t the last time either.”

Iolo laughed at his sarcasm. “No of course not. They just blasted you and Finn out of orbit because you didn’t say goodbye.”

“I’ve really got to work on my manners,” Poe sighed and started heading east. “Let’s get moving.”

As they started walking their training kicked into gear: keep your pace slow and steady, and focus your senses to become alert to any suspicious movements. Make the darkness your ally.

After a while Poe quietly said, “I know we need transport, but with the Order here getting some is going to be a bit trickier than usual. Technically if they’re still together Kare is in charge of the group.” He nodded, “She’ll follow the emergency plan we established for meeting up in case something like this happened.” 

“Wouldn’t be surprised if Finn convinces her that they just need to head straight for the ship. Him being a former Stormtrooper he must be aware of their weaknesses enough to get it back, or commandeer a new one if it’s nearby. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Yeah but who knows how many of those bucketheads are here? I really don’t think Finn would risk Kare and Jess like that to try for a transport before we meet up to make a plan.”

Iolo sighed. “Just trust me. I have a feeling Finn will be heading that way okay?”

Poe frowned at that.

“I do trust you. But I’m just not sure why you’re so sure that Finn will suggest to Kare to go straight for stealing the ship instead of trying to meet back together first? It’s the plan we all practiced in case of an unexpected Order attack.” He shook his head, “No one gets left behind if it can be avoided.”

“If you say so,” Iolo muttered.

Poe stopped short and grabbed Iolo’s arm, stopping him as well. “Spill. What’s going on in that head of yours? You’ve been acting weird all night.”

“It just seems a little suspicious okay?” Iolo shot back at Poe, nearly growling out his words. His reaction surprised Poe. Iolo was normally so calm and level headed. He rarely saw the man angry or upset. “No problems from the Order all this time, and then as soon as we get planet side they find us?”

Poe let go of Iolo’s arm, frowning at the man. He didn’t like where this was going. “Just say whatever it is you’re trying to say Iolo.”

“Look. I know you’re going to think that I’m overreacting because I’m worried about the others, and it’s true. I am worried. But fine. You know what I think? I think Finn betrayed us. Okay?” He walked away from Poe and ran his hands through his short hair. “I think he tipped them off about our arrival and now they’ve got Kare and Jess and they’re on some ship heading back to General Hux or possibly Kylo Ren-”

He didn’t get to finish. In a fury that rose fast and quick after simmering all night, Poe felt himself launch into a blind rush at his friend, easily taking down the unsuspecting man. They struggled for a while, not throwing punches but Poe knew the anger Iolo had been testing all night needed to be let out somehow. Finally gaining the upper hand, Poe straddled the man and grasped him by his jacket.

“Who the hell do you think you are Iolo?” Poe yelled, anger fueling his body like fire. “Where do you get off talking like that?” He tried to even his breathing and to keep himself from decking Iolo for disrespecting Finn like that. He didn’t care that this was one of his oldest, best friends. He would not let anyone talk about Finn like that and get away with it.

“Think about it. For the sake of Jess and Kare think about it for one kriffing moment okay? It would be the perfect set up. Rescue you, get inside our base and integrate himself among us to-”

“To what?” Poe almost screamed, not giving a damn about how dangerous it was that his voice was traveling in the dark. “Take out Starkiller base? Was that part of that plan too? Him giving us the perfect way to destroy it? That all part of their master plan?” He scoffed at the stupidity of Iolo’s argument.

“Maybe Finn changed his mind. Or maybe he knew something they didn’t. That it was going to blow anyway-”

“Now you’re just reaching Iolo-”

“Am I? Poe you really need to think about this-”

“No! Hell no. If it was damn near anyone else I would consider it but I know him Iolo. Damnit I know he wouldn’t do this.”

Iolo regarded Poe silently for a moment before he responded. “You know, or you just don’t really want to know because you care more about getting Finn naked then protecting the Resistance.”

Silence hung between them before Poe forcefully pushed Iolo back on the ground to stand, facing him the whole time. Once he was upright he finally spoke in a tight, barely contained voice. “The fact that you think I would let my feelings for someone override the safety of those under my command, of the Resistance itself, is the worst insult you could ever give me.” He couldn’t even look at Iolo as he started walking away.

“Then why are they here Poe?” Iolo tried again, his voice quiet with pain and frustration. “Why the hell would the Order be on this empty planet if Finn didn’t tell them we were here?”

“Why would Finn even bother telling them we’re here?” Poe shot back from where he was looking at the ground, his hands tight fists on his hips to keep him from rushing back to deliver the blows he was dying to give. “As far as they know we have nothing but the location of our base to give them. What on this planet could they possibly want here?” He finally turned around and watched as Iolo stood.

Their eyes locked as Iolo answered, “You.”

The sudden flash of blaster fire hitting a rock beside them dropped them from their shock. Before they could react four stormtroopers emerged from around them dressed in camouflage-armor and wielding blasters, shouting, “Freeze!”


	3. Chapter 3

Both men quickly assessed their surroundings for an opening to run, but there wasn’t one that would get them out of there without a blaster to their back. They were caught.

Poe and Iolo regarded each other with silent surrender as they slowly brought their hands over their heads and were helpless as the troopers walked over to them. After a quick body search they were then shoved and pushed forward through the trees.

Poe walked quietly, his hands above his head resting on his hair. He regarded each of the troopers with the critical eye of a soldier assessing his enemy. Though they were all dressed in camouflage-armor, he assumed the squad leader was the one with the dark pauldron on his left shoulder.

“Where are you taking us?” Iolo asked. Poe wanted to tell him to be quiet, that if he said the wrong thing they’d put a blaster through his gut. He’d seen it before. And as much as he wanted to throttle the man himself, he didn’t actually want Iolo to die. At least not by the Order.

Hours passed as they trekked through the woods. During this time Poe’s mind couldn’t stay focused on their current situation. It kept traveling back to his and Iolo’s argument; could Finn really be a traitor?

Not that Finn wasn’t capable of switching sides, that much was true. But he couldn’t imagine Finn being an Order sympathizer. It was beyond possible for him. After everything they shared? That they’d been through? There was no doubt that double agents existed with the Order, that they were as a part of war as blasters and battles. The Empire had been built upon Palpatine’s ability to manipulate the Republic from the inside.

But Finn? His heart ached at the thought. That those nights together, those impossibly perfect and loving moments that they shared; could they all have been a falsehood on Finn’s part to parry secrets to the people he swore he renounced? The ones that, secretly to all but Poe, being taken by them once again was a deep and scarring fear he would never be free from.

No. He couldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t.

Knowing it was only a matter of time before they reached the rest of the Order’s group, Poe wanted to focus on ways they could escape the troopers. But with two blasters firmly planted at their backs, he knew their options were severely limited to nothing short of a miracle.

So instead of worrying about something he had no control over, and instead of allowing himself to worry even more about his missing friends, he decided to focus on something he could actually do: fight more with Iolo.

Quietly out of the side of his mouth he whispered, “So. How long have you felt this way about Finn?”

“Force Poe you want to do this now? How ‘bout one of your famous escape plans huh?” Iolo shot back.

“Well other than a miracle earthquake sucking down these bucketheads I’ve got nothing. Now spill. Why didn’t you ever tell me you thought Finn was a traitor?”

Iolo sighed, “It hasn’t been a constant thing. Just, the possibility of him being one is something I’ve sometimes kind of kept in the back of my mind. It’s almost unheard of for,” he glanced around at the troopers, “someone like him to join us. Kare’s been telling me I’m crazy for thinking it but then something like this happens and I just, I don’t know, it just falls into place.”

Poe regarded his words. “Okay. Maybe, possibly, I can see from your point of view why you would think that. You don’t know Finn as well as I do. And given the circumstances,” he glanced up at the back of the trooper marching in front of him, “it could perhaps seem a little bit possible.”

Iolo glanced at Poe and gave him an incredulous look.

“Seriously Iolo. I. know. Finn. You weren’t there when we broke out. What happened when we ran. You haven’t seen him the way I have. I know you think I’m blinded because we’re lovers but even before that I trusted him. He’s not a traitor.”

“So you’re going to take his word over mine?” Iolo asked.

“I’m not taking anyone’s word. I’m sorry you feel that way about him but-”

“You two. Quiet!” The trooper behind Poe suddenly commanded and using the butt of his blaster whacked Poe on the side of the head. The force of the impact knocked Poe to the ground, and he moaned as he grasped his head, blood seeping out between his fingers.

“You son of a bitch!” Iolo yelled and lunched for the trooper, but the one beside him stepped forward and shoved the end of his blaster into Iolo’s gut, knocking the man to the ground, gasping for air.

“Put some binders on them. And gag them too,” one of the troopers said, his voice metallic behind the mask, “I don’t want to deal with them trying to escape.”

The two prisoners struggled against their new restraints but ultimately they were bound before being hauled back onto their feet. “Keep moving,” the trooper ordered, and the others used the business ends of their blasters to push the men along.

Poe staggered as he walked, his injured head pounding and blood from the wound fell into his eyes. He knew Iolo was watching him, concerned, but he could do nothing but give his friend a weak smile and a roll of his eyes.

While his head pounded in pain, time blurred and Poe wasn’t sure how long it was, minutes our hours, before one of the troopers suddenly asked, “TX-12. Doesn’t one of these prisoners look like the fugitive 2309?” TX-12, the apparent squad leader, turned and regarded Poe, who the trooper pointed at.

He stared at Poe for a moment, then swiftly kicked at his left leg, causing Poe to fall hard to the ground. He could hear Iolo yell muffled obscenities at them from where he writhed in pain on the dirt, only to be hauled up onto his knees painfully by his hair.

“You running a facial scan now?” the trooper holding Poe’s head back asked TX-12, who nodded and touched the side of his helmet. “Keep him still.” Poe squirmed in the tight hold, the nerves on his head screaming in protest at being stretched so far back.

“Affirmative. Fugitive 2309. Confirming capture now. Direct orders are to deliver him straight to either General Hux or Kylo Ren, whosever location is closest.”

Hot sweat began to pool in the small of Poe’s back when the trooper said Kylo Ren. His vision blurred for a moment before he felt his face connect with the hard earth.

“I said hold him still!” TX-12 yelled, reaching down with the other trooper to drag Poe back onto his feet.

“I was. He passed out.”

“That’s what happens when you go whacking around the prisoners,” TX-12 said with a laugh.

Poe couldn’t breathe. Kylo Ren was still alive. Some reports had confirmed that, and even Rey had mentioned that Luke could sense that he had survived Starkiller’s destruction. But he had always hopped that they were wrong. The possibility of never having to be brought before the twisted misery of that dark Sith was a small comfort to him during some nights when his dreams turned bad. When nightmares plagued him with sharp tendrils probing deep into his mind. Searching slowly through every visible pathway, leaving deep cuts behind until it found what it sought. 

Kylo Ren was still alive. And Poe couldn’t breathe.

He felt a small shove against his side and he turned to Iolo, who was looking at him with deep concern. He had no way to speak to his friend, but if he did have his voice he would instead be begging the troopers to blast him in the gut rather than drag him back before Kylo Ren. Anything, _anything_ , but that.

“Let’s move. We’re close to base. Contact locations and get a read on where Hux-”

Once again Poe found himself hitting the ground hard, a heavy force on top of him. Before he could even consider what had happened, a bright light flashed all around them, blinding him.

Thuds and painful yells filled the air. And when he felt two hands grab his shoulders pushing him down he felt two more undo the gag around his mouth.

Then, the sweet miraculous sound of Kare yelling in his ear, “As soon as you can see, move!”

He had to blink a few times, and when his eyes adjusted he couldn’t believe the sight that greeted him.

Finn was currently holding one blaster in his hand while the other was grasping a TX-12 bent frontwards on his knees, his right arm pinned to his back by Finn while the left kept his face from meeting the ground.

The blaster Finn held shot at one of the troopers staggering towards him, his hands desperately trying to rip his helmet off, before he toppled back to the ground, a dark black mark marring his chest.

One other troopers was already on the ground, not moving, and a third one was in the process of taking off his helmet to throw it away, reaching for a stray blaster.

“Behind you Finn!” Poe cried out when he realized the trooper was about to get the upper hand on Finn. He felt Kare grab his shoulders and heave him up to stand, but he never took his eyes of Finn. He knew Finn was trained to fight more than one adversary, but taking out four troopers? Alone? Could it be?

Finn turned around and saw the now helmetless trooper stand, blaster in hand. Finn shot at him first, but the trooper had heard Poe’s warning as well and dodged the blast. Before he could get a shot in Finn fired again, this time hitting the blaster in the man’s hand. He yelled in pain and dropped the smoldering hunk of now useless metal.

“C’mon!” Kare yelled, trying to drag Poe away but he jerked back, unwilling to leave Finn.

TX-12, now seeming to have recovered from what Poe was assuming was a flash bomb, took Finn’s distraction with the other trooper as his advantage and twisted his body to the side, then kicked out at Finn’s legs, taking him down. 

But Finn was quick to recover. He fell to one knee and used the other to swipe at TX-12’s legs. The trooper fell on him and they struggled. When TX-12 bent over to try and pry the blaster out of Finn’s hands, Finn used the butt of it to hit the space between the man’s neck and shoulder. Poe watched the man stumble as Finn reared his leg back and kicked the man in the chest, but TX-12 saw the move coming. He reached out and grabbed Finns leg, using it as leverage to hoist himself back up and deliver a sickening blow to the side of Finn’s face.

“Watch out!” Kare exclaimed. Poe turned just as he felt a fist connect with his jaw. He stumbled back to the ground and blinking through the pain saw the second to last trooper advance on him. Kare came up to his side with a thick branch to swing at him but in a move Poe barely saw the trooper simply turned and punched her in the stomach, ignoring her as she fell to the ground gasping in pain.

“Kare!” Poe cried out and rolled onto his back, trying to straighten up. The trooper turned back to him and grinned ruthlessly as he watched Poe kick back awkwardly with both hands still bound behind him, trying to put some distance between them as he frantically tried to figure out what to do next.

But it was no use. The trooper quickly gained ground and reached down to Poe’s leg, grabbing it tight and pulling him towards him. Poe growled and swore as the man bent over him.

“We have to deliver you to Ren alive,” the trooper said, “didn’t say we had to do that with you in one piece.”

Suddenly a dark figure came up from behind the trooper, swinging his arm around the man’s neck and pulling him up and off of Poe.

“Finn!” Poe cried when he realized who it was. He cast a moment’s glance over to where he had been last, and saw TX-12’s body lying still with a smoking hole through his chest.

Poe rolled onto his knees and tried to crawl over to Kare, who was slowly crawling onto her own knees, coughing and groaning in pain.

A yelp of pain from Finn caused Poe to look back, and he watched as the trooper got out of Finn’s hold by delivering a second sharp elbow jab to his stomach before swinging around to throw his fist into Finn’s face.

But Finn quickly recovered from the first attack and dodged the second one. He grasped the trooper’s outstretched fist and pulled him forward, then kicked out his leg to hook it back and around the trooper’s leg. This upset in his balance caused the camouflaged man to stumble to the ground. Finn launched himself on top of the grounded man, delivery blow after devastating blow to his face until he was limp and bloody.

“Finn,” Poe cried out as he tried to stand, but stumbled again, his body weak and off balance.

“Poe!” Finn yelled back and pulled himself up to dart towards his struggling lover. Poe couldn’t hold back a gasp when he finally felt Finn’s arms around him, pulling him close. He nearly wept with relief when Finn slid a hand in his hair, tightening his grip possessively, before turning and tucking Poe’s face into his neck.

“You’re okay,” Poe half whispered and half sobbed as Finn’s familiar scent washed over him. “You’re safe.” The worry and fear he had been holding back for hours came rushing towards the surface, threating to bubble over. He tried to even his breathing but it was almost too difficult.

“I’m fine. We’re all fine,” Finn said reassuringly as he pulled back, then frowned when he ran his hands gently along Poe’s abused face, his eyes landing on the bruised cut on Poe’s forehead. “They hurt you,” he growled, his eyes darkening with anger.

“I’m alright,” Poe began, his response automatic.

“They _hurt_ you-” Finn repeated, his nostrils flaring as he breathed heavily to control his clearly visible rage.

“Finn,” Poe said in a stern but quiet voice to calm the trembling man. “You’re okay. That’s all that matters to me.”

“I’m good too,” Kare coughed out sarcastically from beside them. “No need to worry about me.”

The two men turned and watched her stand and gesture towards the woods. “I’ll give you guys a minute. Going to help Jess with Iolo.” She reached down and grabbed one of the stray blasters, swinging it onto her back with the strap.

“You sure?” Finn called out but she just waved him away. He watched her worriedly for a moment before turning back to Poe. “Let’s get you to the others and then I’ll check you all out.”

“Wait. Wait please,” Poe said to a confused Finn.

“Wh-?” Finn began to ask just as Poe leaned forward and kissed him. It was a bit messy and awkward, Poe’s hands were still bound behind his back, but he wouldn’t go another moment without this from Finn. Catching on quick, Finn slid an arm around Poe’s waist and tugged him in close, their bodies flush against each other. He pulled back for a breath and then dove back in, kissing the life out of Poe in their desire to express how grateful they were that they were back together again.

Finn was the first to pull back. Breathing hard he rested his head against Poe’s and said, “Should really get you settled to check you out.”

“Alright,” Poe answered as he rubbed his nose gently against Finn’s. “What if more troopers are coming? Weren’t exactly silent while being deadly here. We might need to move.”

“I’ll take care of that,” Finn said as he helped Poe stand. “Can you stand on your own for a moment?”

Poe nodded, then miserably begged, “Don’t go far.”

“Won’t,” Finn answered and brushed a gentle kiss on the one unbruised part of Poe’s cheek which did wonders for the turmoil of emotions rolling around in his chest. Finn walked over to TX-12 and bent down and began to remove the dead man’s helmet. He held it in his hands for a moment, regarding the blank face smeared in blood staring back at him, before he grabbed a stray blaster, slid it over his shoulder, then turned and walked back to Poe.

When he reached his swaying lover he wrapped an arm around the man’s waist and hooked the helmet under his other arm. “We should be okay for a bit. But I’ll double check when we get back to the others.”

Poe frowned, but was too tired and relieved to question the man. He just wanted to get himself unbound and to sit still for a moment.

They walked slowly through the woods but didn’t need to go far before he saw Jess, Iolo and Kare in a small clearing. Iolo was sitting on a rock with Jess behind him checking out his bindings and Kare in front inspecting a cut on his cheek Poe assumed he received in the previous scuffle.

“Everyone okay?” Poe called out as they approached.

“Iolo took a decent jab from one of the troopers after the flash bomb went off,” Kare said, “but nothing some of Finn’s medical TLC can’t cure.”

Poe’s eyes met Iolo’s as Finn gently helped Poe sit on another rock beside him. They held for a moment before Iolo looked away, his cheeks burning.

“Where the hell did you get a flash bomb?” Poe asked turning to Finn.

Kare was the one who answered. “Kept it in his med-bag which he grabbed when we ran. Can you believe it? A mini-blaster too.”

“That’s my man,” Poe said with a laugh. Finn rolled his eyes before he turned and looked inside the helmet. “Flash bombs at night with these helmets are like someone suddenly turning on a light in a dark room. It’s blinding. Just enough time for us to jump in and take them out.” He paused for a moment as he read what he saw on the visor of the helmet. He was relieved not much in the way of data accessibility had changed since he last wore one.

“From what I can tell on the sensors no other troops are around for miles. We should have some time to regroup.”

“We need it. Can’t get these damn binders off,” Jess announced from behind Iolo and stood. She limped over to Poe and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You have no idea how glad I am that you two are okay.”

Poe gestured towards her leg, “What happened to you?”

“Twisted something in my hip when they first attacked. The bad side. Finn practically carried me out of that mess.” She sank to the ground beside him and rested her head on his leg before letting out a heavy sigh. “I can’t believe we actually found you two.”

“How did you guys find us?” Poe asked as Finn walked behind him and started working on his bindings.

“Finn’s impressive tracking skills,” Kare said as she stood and walked over to Finn to see what he was doing. “We found your trail first, then you plus the troopers.” She glanced up at Poe. “We pretty much double timed our pace to catch up after that fun discovery.”

A small whir and a click echoed from behind him and suddenly Poe felt Finn taking his bindings off.

“You got it!” Kare exclaimed.

“Thumb print lock,” Finn explained as Poe brought his hands up in front of him for the first time in hours, groaning a little at finally being free. Finn walked in front of Poe and gently took his wrists into his hands, inspecting the bruises. Poe suddenly felt vulnerable at Finn’s tender touches in front of his unit members, but tried not to let it show. He wished they were alone so he could say things he couldn’t in front of the others. Tender, comforting things from a side of him he had to hide away since he joined the fight against the Order, until Finn came into his life.

“It’ll be a while before those bruises fade,” Finn said and ran a gentle thumb over the inside of Poe’s wrist. Poe risked a glance up at Finn’s face and could easily see the anger warring behind his eyes.

“Finn,” Poe said quietly and it jerked Finn out of his thoughts. He forced a small smile before he let go of Poe’s wrists and walked over to kneel behind Iolo’s back. “I wasn’t sure if they had erased my print after defecting. But apparently not.” He undid Iolo’s bindings and the folded them into his pockets before walking around to Iolo’s front.

“You’ve taken a couple of hits. Do you want me to check you out?”

Iolo didn’t meet Finn’s eyes as he shook his head and looked away. “Nothing as bad as Poe. A punch in the gut and this,” he pointed to his bleeding cheek. “Kare can help me. Poe’s been knocked around way more than me. You probably should make sure there’s no permanent damage so we don’t have to put down Organa’s favorite flyboy.”

“Don’t be a hero Iolo let the man check out you,” Poe said. “I can wait in line.”

“You’re the one who passed out Poe!” Iolo exclaimed with a roll of his eyes.

“Only for like a second!” Poe shot back. He started to protest when Finn nearly tripped over himself to get in front of Poe again. “He’s exaggerating Finn. I’m fine. Finn, I’m _fine_ -”

“You lost consciousness?” Finn exclaimed frantically as he crouched in front of Poe, placing his hands on his head and neck to press tender but firm touches in a search for damage. “How long exactly? Is your vision blurred at all? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“Snitch,” Poe called out to Iolo.

“Hard ass,” Iolo called back before hissing as Kare dabbed at his cheek with a bacta wipe.

“Damn it Poe. Just-don’t move. I’m going to check you out,” Finn said.

Poe groaned but knew he couldn’t win this fight.

The next few minutes were spent with Finn inspecting Poe the best he could to make sure there wasn’t any lasting damage from his injuries. Jess moved between Kare and Finn, handing them materials out of the med-bag Finn had salvaged from the attack.

When Poe was finally bandaged and cleaned up he waved Finn away. “Poke me one more time. I dare you,” he warned before he placed his hands on Finn’s shoulders. “I’m fine. I swear.”

“Pretty sure my training means I’m the one who gets to officially assess that,” Finn said. “Not you. Flyboy.”

“If I start seeing stars I’ll let you know but for right now we should figure out what we’re going to do next.”

Finn frowned at Poe but let the subject drop, for now. He reached down and grabbed the stormtrooper helmet. “This will help us figure out what the situation is with other trooper’s locations,” he said as he picked it up, regarding the item in his hands.

“You can do that with one of those?” Jess asked tiredly from beside Poe.

Poe looked up Finn who turned to Jess and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s take a breather and I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll let you know if any troops are on their way but I think for right now we’re in the clear.”

“Sounds good to me. I’m exhausted,” Jess mumbled and stood to walk over and plop down next to Kare and Iolo who were inspecting what meager materials they had on them. Dawn was slowly starting to peek over the horizon, but decent sunlight was still at least an hour away.

Finn started walking away from the group which caused Poe to jerk to a stand exclaiming, “Where’re you going? Why are you leaving?” He staggered towards Finn who quickly turned and walked back over to him. He wrapped an arm around Poe, gently lowering him onto the ground, his back resting against the rock.

Finn said, “Rest. You need it. And I didn’t think you’d want to see me wear this.”

Poe looked down at the helmet and said, “Not particularly. But I know you’ve got to do it.” He regarded the white and black face mask with a sickening feeling swirling in his stomach. He reached out and threaded his fingers with Finn’s empty hand before quietly pleading. “Don’t go. Already lost you once tonight.”

Finn was quiet for a moment before he said, “Are you sure?”

Poe nodded. “Stay.”

Finn searched Poe’s eyes for any hesitation before he nodded and said, “Alright.” He turned around and sat on the ground before reaching inside the helmet to start working on what he needed to do.

A big part of Poe wanted to just lay on the grass and not get up again for a week, but the adrenaline from the past few hours left him shaky and wired. Also his thoughts about Kylo Ren and his and Iolo’s argument were returning. His chest ached with the onslaught of emotions threatening to crack him in half, and he desperately needed a moment or two to get his head together. This wasn’t over yet.

“Alright,” Finn said, turning to Poe. “I’m going in. Last chance for me to take a walk. I’ll understand if you don’t want to see this. I promise.”

But Poe shook his head. “No,” he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on Finn’s lips, “don’t be gone long.”

Finn nodded and gave Poe a small smile before taking a breath and standing. He took a few steps forward before he placed the helmet on his head and began tapping away at it.

“You alright?”

Poe turned to his left and saw Iolo take a seat on the ground next to him. Though he spoke to Poe, his eyes were focused on Finn and his current task.

Poe wanted to say he was fine, but seeing that helmet on Finn again was making his chest hurt even more. “I’m-I’ll be okay. Once this is over I’ll be okay.” He ran a hand over his chest and clenched it into a fist.

Iolo nodded and was silent for a moment before he let out a long breath and said, “I’m an idiot.”

“Didn’t need a blaster butt to the gut to tell you that,” Poe said as he gave up and looked down at the ground. He couldn’t keep looking at Finn. Not like that.

“I’m sorry, for what I said. Earlier. That-it was out of line,” Iolo admitted. “After everything he’s done for us, I should have given him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Tell him that. Not me,” Poe sullenly muttered, but not unkindly. He appreciated Iolo’s apology despite the sting still lingering at his initial suspicions.

“Would. But I’m not gonna.” Iolo picked up a small stone and rolled it around in his hand. “It’d hurt him worse to hear what I said then not knowing it at all.”

Initially Poe bristled silently at that, but knew it was all too true.   

They both sat in companionable silence for a while. Eventually Poe closed his eyes and rolled his head back to let the rising sun caress his tired face; the warmth a small comfort after their gruelingly long night. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he felt knuckles softly caressing his cheek, gently jostling him out of the sleep he hadn’t realized he’d fallen into.

“Poe? You feeling okay? We need to get moving soon.”

Poe jerked back a bit at being woken up. His neck and head were sore and awkward against a hard shoulder, Iolo’s he assumed, and he looked up at Finn who was crouched over him, concern evident on his face.

“Didn’t mean to pass out,” Poe mumbled, his mouth dry. Finn wrapped an arm around his waist and helped hoist him up before running a comforting hand across his back. Once standing he rubbed at his eyes and watched Iolo stand and yawn as well.

Kare and Jess were standing and collecting Finn’s med bag and a couple of bags that once belonged to the fallen troopers. Poe noticed they were fuller than before and wondered if they found helpful materials on the fallen troopers to take with them. A part of him wished he’d been awake to help but he knew if he hadn’t had that small rest he would barely be standing now.

“You find out anything useful?” Poe asked Finn then bit back a yawn. He was going to sleep for a week when they got back to base.

Finn nodded then looked away, thoughtful. “Our best bet is to try to snag an Order’s ship. We’ve got a couple hours hike to get to their base. We can grab a transport there.”

“What about our ship?” Kare asked. “We just going to abandon it?”

“Don’t have much choice. It’s completely covered in patrols that are expecting us to return to it. They think we’ll head that way because they think we believe it’s our only way off this planet. They also don’t know that we know where their base is. And they think we would never be dumb enough to try and steal one of their ships.” He turned to Poe and they both exchanged a smile

“Can’t imagine their base is any less patrolled then our ship though?” Iolo asked.

“No, but that’s one ship. There’ll be a fleet at their base. Hopefully we can come up with some plan to take one once we get there,” Finn answered.

Poe looked around at the others and knew they we’re waiting for his command. He considered Finn’s findings, then weighed and assessed the risks. The likelihood of failure; of success. After a few moments he turned to Finn. “Lead the way then.”

The trek was more what Poe imagined their day would have been like had the Order not unexpectedly crashed their training mission. A slow haul through the woods, practicing their own survival tactics against possible enemy attacks. Their training took on a biting edge of reality, evident with every step, but it kept them focused. Sharp.

Poe knew they weren’t in the best shape, especially for what they were about to attempt. Exhaustion dogged his every step, Jess was slow with a bad limp, and Iolo and Kare were taking their time keeping watch for Order movements that might not be visible on Finn’s helmet and when he wasn’t checking it.

It was no secret that getting off this planet was a long shot. But they had tenacity and hope. It was enough to save them before; it would have to be enough to save them again.

They took a few breaks during their trek, mostly for Jess to rest her aching hip, but when Finn signaled them to head in between a small cavern and stop, somehow Poe knew they were close to their destination and it was time for them to consider their next step.

“How far off are we?” Poe asked as he lent against cool, mossy stone. The others, besides Finn, each collapsed or sat as well, breathing in the cool shaded air. The sun was high; them having spent a good portion of the day making the trip. A part of him wanted to wait for their next move to be during nightfall, the cover of darkness possibly being an asset, but he doubted they had such luxury of time.

Finn looked up at Poe from where he was regarding the information he read in the helmet. “We’re within yards, but this spot is solid cover for now. They’re spreading out to work on their initiative, and a good chunk of their troops were deployed out into the forest’s perimeter with orders to recapture prisoner 2309.”

Poe knew he didn’t need to explain to Finn who that was. “Guess I’m in high demand around here.” He tried for a smile that Finn didn’t reciprocate.

“Let’s work on keeping you that way. While you guys rest I’m going to do recon. I can only gather so much information from here with this equipment. I need to get within eyesight of the base.”

“What’re you a droid?” Jess asked incredulously from where she lay. “You haven’t taken a breather since this crap show began.”

That got Finn to crack a small smile. “Pilots,” he joked, “too busy sitting on their butts flying planes to be used to all this ground work foot soldiers do.”

He made a move to leave, “I’ll be back soon. The quicker we get intel the sooner we can work on our next move before that intel changes-”

“Woah. Wait,” Poe said, pushing himself off the wall. His knees nearly gave out he was so tired, but he forced himself to remain upright. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Finn froze. “What?”

“Not alone. It’s too dangerous. We’re too close to the Order and there are too many variables to consider. We either all go together or not at all,” Poe said, waving a hand to finalize his point. He knew Finn had taken on many of the responsibilities of this sudden escape mission since he was injured and Finn also had more knowledge of the First Order tech they had available. But Poe was still the Commander and he wasn’t about to let Finn break protocol installed for their safety because of their current situation.

He watched Finn purse his lips, considering Poe’s words. He knew it shouldn’t have, but it surprised Poe as to how well Finn had done stepping into a leadership role when he physically couldn’t do it himself. There was no doubt that Finn was capable of handling the recon, but it was too much to ask of the man who was still in training.

“I’ll go with him. As backup,” Iolo said, pushing himself off the ground to stand and walk past Poe, stopping next to Finn. “The medic’s right. You guys need a breather. Especially since we might be doing some more physically active stuff soon. Like running from blasters or taking out troopers. Better to be rested for that then pushing it too much.”

Finn looked between Poe and Iolo and said nothing. Poe tried to ignore how Finn’s blank face, waiting patiently for Poe’s orders, were making him feel slightly ill. Though he rarely ever needed to utilize it, he immensely disliked that he had the power to order his lover to follow commands. And that Finn didn’t see anything wrong with the imbalance of power in their relationship made it worse. Despite his capabilities, Finn was too used to being under the control of other people. And it was evident in the way that Finn could go from making plans and taking the lead to suddenly switching gears and being forced to follow a leader’s command when it was requested of him.

“It’s just recon,” Iolo cajoled as he took Poe’s silence for consideration. “We’re not going to storm the place.”

“And you think you can handle both the recon and the escape plan without a break as well?”

Though Iolo might not have realized he was doing it, he puffed up his chest a bit and exclaimed, “I’m tougher than you think flyboy.”

Poe rolled his eyes and turned to Finn, “How long would it take you to get to a safe distance for observance for your recon?”

“Ten minutes, at the most. Would need less than that to assess the situation and download an updated data scale for the intended targets.” His voice was even and efficient. Poe gave orders, and Finn would carry them out as requested.

This effect nearly made Poe dizzy with desire to drag Finn somewhere and beg him to act normal. To be Finn, not FN-2187.

“See?” Iolo said, not even noticing the change in the man standing next to him. He gave Finn a light punch on the shoulder. “In and out.”

It wasn’t a solid plan, but Poe would be lying if he said they didn’t need the recon before making their next move. He turned to regard Jess who was already unconscious on the floor, her hand grasping her injured hip. Kare was passed out as well next to her against a wall, but her face was contorted and she twitched fitfully in her sleep.

He turned back to the men and sighed, “You’ve got a half an hour. One minute past that and I’m waking them and we’re going after you.”

Finn and Iolo nodded.

“Set your alarm and get some z’s too,” Iolo said. He grabbed the blaster off the ground and gestured for Finn to follow him out of the cave.

Finn nodded at Poe once more and went to turn, but Poe reached out and grabbed Finn by the arm. Finn turned back.

“Be careful. Please.”

Finn gave Poe a small smile before he answered, “Yes sir.” The he turned and walked out of the cave.

His answer felt like a punch in Poe’s gut.


	4. Chapter 4

_Twenty-eight minutes._

Poe tapped his head against the stone behind him and sighed. They had one hundred and twenty seconds before he roused the girls and went after the two men. He was sitting on the hard earth, his knees bent and his back cold. It was times like this he missed having BB-8 with him the most. His little droid was excellent at distracting him from situations where he was forced to wait and worry alone. Though it would have been twice as hard keeping his droid safe here had he relented and let him join them on their training mission, he was glad BB was safe back at the base.

Which is where he was completely ready to be with Finn.

He checked his watch. Seventy two seconds.

Was Finn upset with him for trying to stop his recon mission? He was just doing what he would have done if it had been anyone else under his command who had presented the same request to go alone. Maybe. But he had relented when Iolo stepped up…

“Ugh,” Poe muttered and rubbed the heel of his hands over his tired eyes. He could definitely go for a case of some Corellian brandy just about now.

The barest hint of movement alerted him to some kind of presence outside of the cave. But before he could even reach his blaster Iolo walked slowly in, nodding at him in greeting. For a second Poe panicked, but then Finn followed behind Iolo, concern evident on his face.

A million excuses and apologies began bubbling up in his throat, threating to tumble out of his mouth as relief at seeing Finn strongly enveloped him. However instead of using words, Poe just stumbled to stand, walked over to Finn and pulled the surprised man in close before pressing his mouth against his.

“My virgin eyes!” Iolo joked sarcastically as he walked over to Kare to start waking her up.

Poe ignored his friend, and instead focused on running one shaking hand up the back of Finn’s neck until he felt coarse hair threading his fingers while the other grasped the front of Finn’s jacket like a lifeline. Finn kissed him back and slid an arm around Poe, pulling him in close before grasping the material bunched up in the small of his back.

Poe was the first to pull back, muttering a, “Sorry. I’m sorry.” Commanding officer responsibilities be damned. He would renege on any protocol if it meant Finn could follow through on his plan to keep them safe and alive. This was no novice trainee. Finn had already proven himself as much more than that even before this mess of a mission. This was someone who cared about his team and getting them off this planet intact. And as difficult as it was to admit, the Order had trained Finn well; he could handle these missions with the ease of a seasoned solider. At seeing Finn now, Poe was smart enough to realize that his reluctance had only been just holding Finn back just to keep him safe. Losing him earlier last night had affected him more than he realized. But in trying to keep him safe he was actually putting him, and everyone else, in even more danger.

“What are you sorry for?” Finn asked with a small confused laugh. He brought up a hand to cup Poe’s cheek, running a gentle thumb across a healing bruise.

“For pulling the Commander card when I didn’t need to. Should’ve trusted you to do the recon,” he sighed, “and I do trust you. It was stupid and I’m-”

“Hey.” Finn cut him off. He dropped his hand and took a small step back to better look into Poe’s eyes. But he wasn’t able to get too far because his movements just made Poe just grasped his jacket tighter to keep him close.

Finn let out another small laugh before bringing up a hand and wrapping it around Poe’s grip on his jacket. “You don’t have to apologize. You _are_ the Commander. You don’t want me to do anything you tell me. I’ll listen.”

And that was the problem, Poe thought. He would listen. Even when maybe he shouldn’t.

“Wait,” Finn began, cocking an eyebrow. “Are you worried that I’m mad that you gave me an order?”

“Look. It’s one thing when it’s your assigned unit you’re bossing around. You’re supposed to do that. It’s a whole other thing when you’re on the field and bossing around the guy you’re sleeping with.” Poe tried to explain lamely. “Never really been in this position before.”

“Funny. Here I thought you liked bossing me around,” Finn joked, his voice low and suggestive.

Poe couldn’t believe that as tired and beat down as he was, stuck in a cave with a First Order convoy only yards away, that all it took was just the right tone and the perfect words from Finn to cause his libido to flare to life.

“If I recall correctly when things are going down, you’re the one who’s pretty into calling the shots,” Poe said back, his voice low as well. He could hear Iolo talking with Jess and Kare and he knew they would need to join them soon, but he didn’t want to leave Finn. Not yet. Not when they could just stay in their own little misery free world just a few moments longer.

“Then why don’t we keep it like this? You call the shots in the field,” Finn leaned in closer, “and I’ll call the shots in bed. Pretty sure you like the shots I call there anyway.”

“We’ll see about that soldier boy,” Poe muttered back and gave Finn a wink.

“If you two are done dealing with your sudden sexual tension Finn and I have a recon report to discuss?” Iolo said, walking up to Poe and Finn, his arms folded.

Poe released Finn’s jacket. “We good?”

Finn cracked a smile. “Yes sir.”

That earned him a whack on his shoulder. “Knock that kriff off.”

Finn smiled even wider.

“Anyways,” Iolo said, clearing his throat to get the men’s attention. Kare and Jess laughed from behind him, both knowing displays of affection had always made him uncomfortable.

“Finn has a plan,” Iolo gestured to the man, “and I’m not sure of all of the parts to it, but if he thinks we can pull it off then by all means. I have no clue how we’re going to do this. Even with half their infantry out looking for us there’s still a swarm of bucketheads running around over there.”

“You’ve got a plan that can get us off this rock?” Poe said, turning to Finn who nodded and remained silent.

“That’s great that’s-wait,” Poe paused. “Why do I suddenly have the feeling I’m not going to like this plan am I?”

“You’ll like it once we’re all on board a transport,” Finn offered.

“Finn-” Poe began but Finn cut him off. “Didn’t we just talk about you trusting me?”

Poe groaned. “I do but I hate taking the chance in risking you. Any of you. What makes you think this plan will work?”

“Look, I don’t know much about how it technically works, but I kind of think the Force is on our side with this one guys,” Finn said, looking around at the group.

“What makes you say that?” Kare asked.

“There’s a trooper guarding a transport that we can use to escape. And of all the troopers that could be there, he’s the one who kind of owes me one,” Finn explained.

“Owes you? He’s in your debt?” Poe asked surprised at this information. “How big a debt?” 

Finn hesitated before he answered.“His life.”

 

* * *

 

 

“No.”

“Poe-”

“Absolutely not.”

“We don’t have any other choice-”

“I mean it-hey! Put down that arm piece Finn!”

Poe had turned just in time to see Finn, half dressed in a dead man’s camouflage armor, fasten a long plate over his right arm. As soon as Finn pulled out the armor Poe realized that sneaking into the First Order base disguised as one of their own must have been a plan Finn had been working on since he had taken out the men. He then remembered the heavier bags Kare and Jess carried after the battle and realized the armor must have been in them.

Finn froze his movements and looked over at Iolo, who Poe had been arguing with while he dressed, a distraction Poe realized.

“Did you two plan this on your way back or something?” Poe exclaimed as he walked over to Finn. “It’s too dangerous for you to intercept this trooper on your own Finn. I know you say he owes you one but even you’ve said that people’s loyalty to the Order borders on fanatic. There’s no guarantee he will help you-Jess damn it I said no!” Poe looked down at Jess who was busy fastening a gaiter over Finn’s leg as Kare carried over a chest plate from Finn’s bag.

“This is our best bet Poe and you know it. I know it’s a big risk that Finn’s taking but we don’t have very many options,” Kare said with a sigh as Iolo came over to stand by her.

“We’ll be right there with a blaster trained on anyone who even looks at Finn,” Iolo said as Jess and Kare flanked Poe’s lover, nodding.

Poe folded his arms, fuming that his unit wanted to go through with this plan despite his objections…but at the same time he was so _damn_ proud. Even though this situation called for extremes to get them home alive, everyone had been putting their complete faith in Finn to help them since the moment everything had gone to hell. Even Iolo, who hours before was denouncing Finn as a traitor, was now ready to put a blaster through anyone who even looked at him funny. He wondered if Finn even realized how much trust and devotion his unit now had in him. Somehow, as Finn waited patiently for him to speak, he knew he did. Like a true leader he was ready to take huge risks to protect the people around him. Not for the first time Poe wondered if Finn should have been stationed with the ground troops where he no doubt would have flourished.

“The second, and I mean the very millisecond things seem to be going south I’m shooting anything that moves. You got me?” Poe growled before he reached over to Kare and grabbed the chest plate. He stepped forward to press it to Finn’s chest, ignoring the agreeing murmuring going on around him from the others.

“As long as I know you’ve got my back I’ll be alright,” Finn said comfortingly as he began fastening the plate with the ease of someone who spent years doing so. His eyes never even left Poe’s as he spoke.

“You damn well better be alright when this is done,” Poe grumbled before he lowered his voice, aware that the others had moved aside to work on re-packing their meager materials. “And you totally owe me like the biggest blow job ever for planning this ridiculous scheme behind my back and not telling me.”

“Pretty sure you would have thrown this armor off a cliff and blasted it on the way down if you knew,” Finn said with a smirk and a shrug.

“And thrown a grenade down there to finish the job,” Poe said before he stepped back as Iolo walked up and handed Finn his helmet, now clean of the smeared blood. If it had been difficult to see Finn wearing the helmet before, seeing him in the complete trooper get up was ten times worse.

But Finn didn’t put the helmet on. Instead he looked around the group and said, “I know this man owes me his life, but he’s still part of the Order. Like Poe said, if things go south, start shooting.” He sighed as he started to lower the helmet onto his head, “Just…don’t shoot me though.”

 

* * *

 

 

Poe had no idea what the Order was planning on building on this planet, but whatever it was it was big. Finn was able to trace out a path wide enough for them to follow to a quadrant less secure than other parts of their base which would lead them to the ship they intended to steal. However despite their distance, Poe could still hear the loud machinery belonging to multiple landspeeders, core diggers and mining convoys hard at work tearing the planet apart. 

“What the hell are they building? A new core city over there or something?” Kare hissed beside Poe as they walked through the woods. Finn had already separated from their team and was inside the base. He needed to get close enough to keep track of the troopers movements and to make sure none of them headed their way. Once again apart, and with Finn in danger, Poe was trying hard to keep his worry at bay. It was working only so well.

“Kriff if I know,” Poe whispered back. He was just as curious as the rest of the team, but his focus was on getting them all out alive. As important as it was to find out what the Order was up too, and truthfully he was dying to know, those questions were now better left for later. Much later.

“I think Finn knows,” Iolo said quietly, his eyes scanning their surroundings for unexpected movement. Poe shot him a warning look. When Iolo caught it he shook his head. “No. Not like that. I mean, when we were doing recon. After taking in the information, I just-I don’t know. The way he acted afterwards. Concerned.”

“Well let’s make sure to ask him after we succeed in stealing a ship and getting the hell out of here,” Jess said and nodded in front of them. “According to his directions the backup docking area should be up here.”

After a few minutes they came up to a cliff that overlooked a small corner located just at the far end of the base. It was used as a separate unloading area for replacement equipment for the Order’s machinery. Crouching low they crawled to the edge where below and beyond a few ships and a speeders were spread out in the open area where trees had been cut down and moved aside for the space. Poe could see off to the side the path that lead towards the main part of the base. He wasn’t sure if Finn would be taking that path though, it all depended on what was safest.

He counted at least two troopers patrolling the area, but there easily could have been more out of sight or inside the transport they intended to seal. Both troopers were in the same camouflage gear, and Poe wondered which one Finn would try to contact. He’d been hazy on the details of how he’d saved the man’s life, time was running short, and even though it sounded like a sure thing, Poe could tell the plan was thin. Finn’s last warning echoed in his mind: the debt of one’s life was a strong motivator, but the Order’s hold could prove even stronger.

“I see him,” Kare whispered to the others. Poe wasn’t surprised by this, she had always had fantastic eyesight. The three turned in the direction she was pointing to and watched as a trooper drove a landspeeder onto the base. He docked it next to a line of other speeders and slowly got off. “At least I hope it’s him,” Kare admitted.

Poe crawled backwards and said, “You three wait here.”

“What?” Jess hissed, grabbing Poe’s jacket by the shoulder, “Finn said-”

“I know what he said. And I know I’m not just going to hide up here without giving him any direct backup. I’ll be careful,” he said before he turned and locked eyes with Iolo who just nodded and turned to Kare.

She sighed and said, “Just don’t get your love-sick ass blasted.”

Poe knew he could always count of his friends for their boundless faith and support.

He crawled away and slowly made his way down to the side of the base. Though the track was painfully difficult to traverse without making any noise, he made sure to keep low while simultaneously keeping his eyes focused and alert sudden movements.

Suddenly the sound of a blaster firing echoed through the trees, followed by the frantic flapping of scared birds. The beating of their wings matched the surge of loud thumps coming from his heart as he abandoned all efforts for safety and dashed towards where he had last seen Finn, blaster charged and ready.

It didn’t take long. He nearly made it to the edge of the forest where he could see through the trees two trooper’s with their blasters pointed right at each other while one was one the ground, clearly shot.

Clearly dead.

“Finn,” Poe breathed out and slid down behind a small and jagged boulder that provided minimal cover until someone noticed he was there. He was close enough to see both men breathing heavily at the situation, but not close enough to tell the difference between the armor, if there even was any.

Even though it most likely wasn’t Finn, given the stand-off between the two troopers, he still cast a glance towards the deceased trooper and whispered, “Please. Please don’t be dead. Please.”

“Who are you?” one of the troopers loudly demanded. Poe brought his eyes up to regard the men, but wasn’t sure who spoke.

The trooper on the left, while keeping his gun hand steady, raised his left hand to his helmet and with ease quickly slid it off his face.

A knot the size of BB-8 that had been slowly wrapping itself around Poe’s throat loosened a fraction when he saw it was Finn under that mask. He was alive. Still in danger, but alive for now. Poe shifted and slowly raised his blaster, pointing it right at the other trooper.

The trooper on the right jerked and took a step back when he saw Finn’s face. “Eight-Seven? What? H-how? You’re dead. We all saw you. You’re dead!” His voice rose to a shaky panic Poe recognized. He’d heard it in other men and women in battle, and knew it was a tense edge to be on. If one teetered in the wrong direction, people wound up dead.

Finn tossed the helmet onto the ground. “North. South. East. West.”

Poe narrowed his eyes in confusion. What?

“No. This can’t be real. We saw you die. The Order showed us what the Resistance did to you-”

Finn lowered his blaster and Poe had to aggressively hold himself back from yelling out at Finn to put it back up; kriffing idiot! Instead he put his entire focus on the trooper still with a weapon. He wasn’t sure what Finn’s plan was but he wasn’t about to die on Poe’s watch. He’d chew the man out later. When they were both safe and alive.

“North. South. East. West. You remember? Back when we were trainees? We used to talk about which trial we would live in if we ever escaped the Order. Remember I said east because I liked the idea of living in a house in the trees. Closer to the sky.” He paused. “Here’s your chance One-Five to live out that dream.”

At hearing his name the trooper shook his head and lifted his hands to his helmet before wrenching it off. Poe was then faced with a man Finn’s age and just as fit. Dark hair shaved low exposed his white skin and, if Poe squinted a bit, possibly brown eyes. Once free from the mask he quickly brought the blaster back up to Finn, which caused Poe to tense and nearly pull the trigger.

But the man hesitated, so Poe did as well.

“I don’t understand what’s going on. I saw you die. On a holo-security vid I saw you. Why are you here Eight-Seven?” he asked, his voice now calm and collected.

“South. Bet that’s what you’d choose. Water for miles. I heard you fought like hell to get out of desert duty after what happened. Don’t blame you. Been stuck there myself,” Finn said. He held his hands up and took a step closer.

The man stood still for a moment, Finn’s words making him tense up like a board. When he realized Finn was closing distance he quickly said, “S-stop. Stop right there Eight-Seven!”

But Finn didn’t stop. He kept walking, and talking. “I’m not surprised they told you I was dead. Wouldn’t want anyone getting ideas that we can escape the Order.”

“We _can’t_ escape the Order,” the man exclaimed, taking a step back. But his voice wavered as much as his hands trembled. “This has to be a test. Or-or a trick or something,” he continued, desperate.

“We can escape,” Finn said and stopped when his chest was nearly right up against the blaster. “I did. And you can too. With me.” He looked down at the man’s throat covered by a dark temperature controlling neck brace. “I saved you once One-Five. You know what kind of man I am even though you’ve probably heard about what kind of trooper I was. My biggest accomplishment was being Phasma’s biggest disappointment. You can trust me. You can trust that I’ll get you out of here if you help me.”

“How?” he whispered, his voice cracking.

Poe was shocked to see that there were tears falling down the man’s face.

Finn nodded to the ship behind them. “That thing looks pretty operational.”

“What are you some kind of pilot now?” His words were grounded out, but there was curiosity there. The smallest belief in his words. Poe couldn’t believe it. Was he weakening?

“No,” Finn said. “But I know a few people who could fly us out of here.”

“Resistance?” One-Five spat. “So you are with the fugitives.” His stance straightened and he gripped the blaster tighter. “I won’t betray the Order.”

“Not asking you to,” Finn said, his hands still up. “You can stay here with the Order. Or you can leave with us. You don’t have to join the Resistance.” He paused for a moment, “I’m still learning about systems outside of the Order’s reach, but one good thing about these Resistance guys I’m with is they know a lot more about those than I do. Especially how to get there under radar. We can drop you off. Somewhere. Anywhere. No strings. Nothing. You won’t owe them anything.” He lowered his voice, seriousness etching each syllable, “And you won’t owe me anything. Not anymore.”

The man said nothing for a long while. Poe held his breath, finger at the ready.

“North. South. East. West,” Finn said. “It’s your choice.”

And that’s what did it. Poe could see the physical change in the man when he realized he was being given a choice after a lifetime of never having one. And not just one. Finn had chosen to save him once a long time ago, and he could now make the choice to repay him. He also could choose to take a chance and leave the Order. And he could choose to take the steps to lead him to a new life with even more new choices.

Choices he would never have again if he pulled that trigger.

Silence stretched between them for what felt like hours. Poe held his breath, praying harder to the Force than he ever had before that this would work.

Eventually the man lowered his blaster and shook his head. “We can’t escape the Order.” Then he swallowed and threw the blaster down. “But you saved my life once. You’re right. I owe you. I owe you. And if I die paying you back then that’s the price I owe.”

Finn stepped forward and grasped the back of the man’s head and pulled him in close so that their foreheads were touching. Poe could see the man tremble at the contact, the proximity of their closeness affecting him greatly. Quietly Finn said, “South. I’m going to take you south, okay?” When the trooper didn’t answer Finn pulled back and turned the man around before pulling out binders from his armor’s pouch. As he fastened them around the other man’s wrists he called out, “You can come out now Commander.”

Poe jerked back in surprise. He quickly stood and jogged out towards the men. He turned around and started waving his hand towards where he knew the others were hiding, the signal to move onto the next phase of their plan. To his surprise they came running out of the woods only moments later. He should have known they wouldn’t stay up in that hiding place when he and Finn were down there.

“How long did you know I was there?” Poe asked once he came up to Finn.

“Since you came trampling down the woods like you were being chased by a rathtar. Didn’t they teach you any kind of stealth outside of flying?” Finn said.

“Hey!” Poe exclaimed as he bent forward to grab the fallen blasters. “It’s not my fault I’m up against you guys and you’re weird super-sonic hearing.”

Finn smiled and shook his head. “Thanks for having my back.”

“Always,” Poe said. “Now let’s get the hell off this rock.”

“Amen,” Jess exclaimed and ran past them towards the transport.

Just by looking at it Poe could tell it was a basic Atmospheric Lander for transporting troopers. Finn led One-Five to the blaster door who gave him the code sequence to open it. As soon as the door lifted up the pilots immediately jogged inside and spread out, immediately making themselves at home in the ship. They started calling out to each other the kind of ship it was and what kind of consoles were at the helm, all the while flicking switches and pressing buttons. It was a common pilot language that Poe spoke well.

Poe let the others get themselves situated with the ship and instead followed Finn and One-Five down to the other end of the vessel, wanting to give Finn backup. Eventually they came to a long dark open area with no seats and dim lighting.

“This is how troopers travel,” Finn explained to Poe.

“What?” Poe frowned and looked around the empty room.

“Nothing as luxurious as seats for us foot soldiers,” Finn said with sarcasm as he led Poe into the hallway. “But if we had visiting officers with us? You bet they weren’t going to stand around for the full flight.” 

He walked over to a panel and placed his palm against it. Immediately a hand shaped print lit up neon blue and Poe watched as the wall opened and a chair electronically materialize out of it.

“Somehow that was still a little creepy,” Poe mumbled as Finn pushed the captured man into the seat. He kept his blaster trained on the trooper who so far had remained silent. 

Finn knelt down in front of One-Five and turned to Poe, “Do me a favor,” he nodded at the wall beside them, “palm it please.” He reached out and began undoing the man’s armor, revealing the black fabric underneath.

“Is it print locked?” Poe asked as he regarded the wall trying to find the outline where he could place his hand.

Finn shook his head, “No. Like I said, the Order never thought Resistance members would get so far.” He risked a look up at One-Five, but the man just averted his eyes and said nothing.

Poe placed his palm against the wall and stepped back when the panel lit up once again to activate opening the wall. After the panels folded themselves aside to reveal a bounty much bigger than a chair, Poe’s mouth hung open at what he saw.

Blasters, knives, batons, and grenades among many other weapons and utensils hung from a long dark wall. Additionally there was a row of different kinds of binders. Poe gaped at the array of deadly weapons that made themselves available to him. Though he would always prefer the helm of a ship over the handle of a blaster, his fingers twitched like a kid in a candy store at all the options.

“Those binders up on the right? The white ones? Can you grab them?” Finn said, jerking Poe out of his shock.

“You carry this kind of artillery just on a basic transport?” Poe asked as he grabbed the items Finn requested before handing them to the kneeling man.

“It’s a minor stock,” Finn explained casually as he unfastened the old binders before he fastened the new ones over One-Five’s hands. They were thick ovals that covered his hands fully. Finn held them down and after the binders scanned his palm prints they locked.

“You that worried I’ll betray you?” One-Five asked.

Poe jerked his eyes away from the display to hold up his blaster and walk back over to Finn and Poe. He was annoyed with himself at getting momentarily distracted by the shiny weapons. He couldn’t afford to slip up. Not now. Not when they were so close to escaping.

“Trust me. These are more for your protection than ours,” Finn said.

One-Five looked up at Poe but his face betrayed no emotions.

At that point Kare poked her head into the room. Just as she opened her mouth to speak she let out a low whistle when she saw the display of weapons. “Sorry to interrupt your fun boys but I need to borrow Finn. Some nifty overrides would be helpful in getting this ship up and running and I have a feeling you might know some much needed code sequences.”

After she spoke Iolo walked in as well. He held his blaster tight when he regarded the prisoner, but relaxed a fraction when he saw the heavy-duty binders he was in.

“Sure,” Finn said and stood. He turned to One-Five and said, “I’ll be back-”

“Finn?” One-Five asked. “They call you Finn?” He looked around at the others for the first time before turning back to Finn. “I didn’t know you were given a name.”

“It was given to me by a Resistance member,” Finn answered. “Finn. Like FN?” He tried for a smirk before he repeated, “I’ll be back.”

Then he turned and left. Kare frowned at his back before shooting a glance at Poe who just shook his head in response. She just shrugged before she left.

Iolo walked over to the artillery and said, “Oh man it’s like my perfect birthday wish come true!”

While Iolo was entertained Poe turned back to the trooper who was watching the exit Finn had just taken.

“What you don’t like the name Finn?” Poe asked, shifting his stance. “I think it’s kind of clever.” He ignored Iolo’s quiet snort of laughter.

“Not everyone gets names. But even if it’s not a great one, at least it’s a name,” One-Five said quietly.

Poe thought back to when he first met Finn. _It’s the only name they ever gave me._

“Didn’t know the Order ever gave troopers names,” Poe said questioningly. 

“They don’t,” One-Five said and looked up at Poe, “we do. We give each other names. That’s ours. The only thing we’ve got. Rumor was that even all the members of Finn’s squad had names except him.” He paused, his voice quieting. “I-rumor says he had Z-zeros. That Zeros was his.” He swallowed thickly, like the name tasted wretched on his tongue. “I hope that’s not true.”

“Why?” Poe asked, but One-Five either misunderstood his question or was ignoring it.

“Veterans said after Eight-Seven died, or we thought he did, that he was different. That it meant something when your squad had names but the leader didn’t. Don’t know what. But it did.”

Iolo and Poe both turned and looked at each other, surprise evident on their faces. Poe turned back to the man and said, “Finn was a squad leader?”

One-Five jerked a bit out of his thoughts to look up a Poe, “You didn’t know? Phasma’s favorite.” At saying her name his face drained of color and he gave a short, humorless laugh before he brought his head down to rest on the binders. He took a few short panicky breaths before quickly sitting up. “We need to get this transport moving soon. Check in is in minutes and FN-679 isn’t going to be answering that com.”

Poe turned to Iolo who just nodded and walked over to a com panel to call Kare. While he did that Poe turned back to the man. “Why did you think Finn was dead?” Poe asked, trying to take his mind off their situation. “Did the Order tell you that?”

“No,” One-Five breathed out, “showed us. They showed us surveillance of the Resistance executing him for being a stormtrooper. Blaster squad. They said it didn’t matter if we defected, that if you guys could even execute someone who saved one of their own than anyone else wanting to run would definitely be shot on sight. Or worse.” He let out a shaky sigh. “The Resistance shows no mercy. That’s what they said but they lied. He’s here and they lied.” He looked down at the ground and with furred eyebrows he whispered incredulously, “He escaped.”

Iolo finished his call and nodded at Poe before he walked back over to the trooper, “You said Finn was Phasma’s favorite. But he never said that Phasma liked him. He’s never said anything good about her.”

One-Five narrowed his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean like? She was his Captain. He was just supposed to follow her orders. And follow them with excellence. Which he did. For years.” He looked between them with wide eyes before he asked, “How do you guys not know this about him? Isn’t he in your squad?”

When Poe and Iolo shared a look One-Five scoffed at them.

“Liked. You Resistance people are so weak. Who likes their Captain? Who likes war? Eight-Seven’s problem was always simulation versus real life. He could blast at sims all damn day but the second there’s a living being in front of him he froze. Pathetic.” He ended his words with a spat.

He shook his head, his breathing labored and sweat began forming on his forehead. “They should have known. After he saved me they should have realized he had an empathy flaw. Rumor says he didn’t shoot in Jakku even after his squad member was killed by opposing fire. They should have known. If his marks weren’t the highest in the class they would have just sent him to the labor groups in the Easternlands and if they had then Starkiller would still be functional and Skywalker would still be in exile and I wouldn’t be on this ship waiting for the others to find me and execute me for being a traitor!” His voice slowly rose to a panicky pitch the more he spoke until he was yelling. “Why haven’t they lifted yet? This is a test. I knew it! It’s a test and I failed and I’m going to be sent to desert duty. Oh no. Please. No. No. No.” He started shaking and rocking back and forth, his back hitting the chair with so much force it rattled.

Poe rushed over to the exit and called out, “Finn! Get over here! Now! And why the hell aren’t we airborne yet?”

Finn came rushing back towards Poe. “You should get in there. We’ve got the overrides but there’s a problem and you’re more familiar with Order helm panels.” He rushed towards One-Five and bent down in front of the convulsing man. He placed a hand on the back of the man’s neck and then turned to Poe. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it.”

Poe nodded and he and Iolo ran down towards the cockpit. He saw Kare and Jess at the helm arguing with each other.

“Quiet,” Poe commanded and shooed Jess out of the pilot’s chair and into the co-pilot’s chair. “Iolo please go back and give Finn backup. He’s got it covered but I just want you to keep an eye on things. Jess get this ship as up and running as much as you can. Kare talk to me what’s keeping us grounded?” He plopped down into the pilot’s seat and immediately his body tingled with anticipation. Flying always gave him a buzz and he was more than ready to start this ride.

“Some kind of new First Order security mod,” Kare explained, pointing to a device attached to a coupling unit on the ship’s control console. “I just want to rip it out but Jess thinks it might trigger a mechanical shut-down of the vessel-”

She stopped speaking when Poe stood, grabbed the device and just wrenched it out of the unit. Suddenly the helm panel lit up and they could hear the engines roaring to life.

“How did you know that would work?” Jess asked as she frantically worked at starting up the ship.

“Didn’t,” Poe answered and grabbed the wheel.

“Just in time too. Looks like we missed check in,” Kare said and pointed out the window. Coming down the path from the main base the three watched as five troopers on landspeeders came barreling out full speed. They immediately slid off their speeders and began blasting at the transport just as it began to lift off the ground.

“Defense shields are only at forty perfect. I need more time,” Jess exclaimed.

“We got offense?” Poe asked Kare who nodded and darted out of the room.

Poe gave Finn and his prisoner a half moments thought and then pushed it away. He knew he had to trust Finn to handle things on his end. 

Suddenly the loud blasting of cannon fire jerking below the ship echoed in their ears. Poe continued the ship’s ascent but watched as suddenly the ship’s cannons blew up a few speeders along with sending some of the troopers flying for cover.

“Nice shot Kun!” Poe exclaimed and when he felt rather than saw the panel tell him that the machine was at full power, he shot forwards and upwards towards the atmosphere.

"You think they'll send flyers after us?" Jess asked Poe who shifted in his seat to get the feel for the ship. Her flow, her style in riding the wind and stars all mattered in how quickly and efficiently they would be able to avoid recapture. All ships were different and while he could fly anything, he wanted to be sure he flew her well to avoid a pursuit. 

"Don't know if they even have them. I bet they weren’t expecting company, or for that company to leave with one of their vessels. We know this ship can make a hyperspace jump but this is a short range transport which means it isn't made to dodge TIE's or even withstand their blasters long-term if there are patrols out there. We were lucky those troopers down there didn't already blast through our defenses. I don't think it'll take much."

"Wait," Jess said and looked around the panel. "Finn was able to track other troopers positions using that helmet right? What if-here!" She pressed a button and a hologram of the outside of the planet came up across the window. 

"Once again Jess you prove you're a genius," Poe said throwing his co-pilot a smile. 

"Like you need proof by now," she joked back and regarded the screen. "I'm not seeing any movement...wait. There. TIE’s. Three of them heading straight for us. Ground patrol must have called in the cavalry." 

Poe slammed a hand a com button and yelled, "Kare! You hear me down there?"

"Loud and clear el capitan. You see something for me to blow up? Cause my new toy here is re-charged and ready to go. These guys sometimes have the best toys.”

"Affirmative. Three bogeys heading point blank. But I'm assuming when in range they'll try to circle and take all sides. Think you can hold them off until I get the coordinates ready to jump?" He remembered Finn's promise to the man. South. 

"I'll do my best Commander but don't take too long. This guy packs a punch but I can only lock on one pain in the ass at time." She paused and Poe could hear the cannon whirring as Kare moved it into position. "Make sure Iolo checks your math Poe. We don't to land in another planet known for its abundance of marshland. Remember how well that went last time?" Her voice had dripped threateningly and Poe was quick to change the subject.

"Yes I know. I take full responsibility. Now just focus please. They're splitting up." Poe watched as the TIE's spit and flew to surround them, just as he predicted. Then the lovely sound of cannons firing at them echoed the cockpit.

"Send me the coordinates when they're ready. I've got the ship primed for hyperspace," Jess said. 

It was only through practice and experience that Poe was able to focus enough to type in the coordinates while dodging enemy fire simultaneously. He could see in the corner of his eye Kare's attempts at taking out the TIE's. The first went down easy, the second had a better handle on its ship but flew too close. Kare got in a lucky shot and the TIE was efficiently taken out. The third, learning from the mistakes of his comrades was holding back but unleashing a torrent of blasts that rocked the ship and its defense shields. Poe was working double time steering the slow moving ship to avoid the blasts as best he could while double checking his coordinates. They only had one shot at this and he knew he needed to get it right.

"Any time now!" Kare yelled through their open com. 

"Okay. Punch it," Poe said as he sent Jess the coordinates. 

"Don't need to tell me twice!" she exclaimed as she pressed down on the panel.

Both were pushed back by the force of their ship blasting into hyperspace, the stars lighting up the cockpit as they became elongated streams of light that created a path for them to travel through space and matter.

“Those coordinates you sent me,” Jess said as she flopped back in her seat, her breathing heavy and tired, “Those weren’t for D’Qar.”

“We’re not heading to D’Qar,” Poe said while keeping his focus on his flying.

“Then where are we going?”

“South,” Poe answered, “We’re heading south.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

**_The Naboo System_ **

 

Poe watched as Finn unclasped One-Five’s binders before he grasped the man on his shoulder and shook the man gently to get his attention.

“You can’t go around with a designation anymore,” Finn explained. “That’s like a First Order calling card out here. You need a name.”

They were in Naboo which, to Poe, other than his home world Yavin 4, was one of the most beautiful planets in the galaxy. He’d done some training there and had visited occasionally on diplomatic missions when he was with the Republic’s Navy. It wasn’t a fully aquatic planet, but in addition to its beautiful and abundant bodies of water, he had contacts there who would not only help the defector start over but keep a close eye on him. There was a big difference between a man who wanted to escape the Order because he didn’t believe in its dogma versus a man who was trying to repay a debt. But from what he’d seen of One-Five so far, Poe wasn’t too worried. Deep down, there was a man desperate to be free of the Order. One-Five might not realize it yet, but it was there. 

They were currently docked in a small fishing area miles outside of Naboo’s capitol. Kare, Iolo and Jess were hanging out by the cargo door’s opening, each on their own com’s contacting different departments on D’Qar to relay their findings. They didn’t have much to go on, but all were hoping once they got their ship back to the base the techies would hopefully divulge some useful information from it.

During their journey to the planet, Poe had called in a favor from a retired academy instructor who had moved to Naboo to help his widowed son with his children. The white-haired, abled and war-experienced man stood by his small water vessel, waiting patiently for Finn and One-Five to finish their conversation before taking him to his village. Poe had known the man for years and could trust him to make sure his new charge had a fair chance at a new life. And stayed in line while doing so.

Standing back a few paces, Poe watched Finn talk with One-Five who was constantly looking at his surroundings like he couldn’t believe such a place possibly existed. Finn had to continue shaking the man gently to get him to focus on him.

“You’ll have plenty of time to check out the scenery later,” Finn said with a small laugh.

“You promise there’s no deserts here?” One-Five asked, blinking owlishly.

“Not that I know of,” Finn answered with a small smile as he shot Poe a questioning look.

He shook his head, “Blue skies, green valleys and an endless supply of water.” He jerked his head back at the man waiting for them. “Sulz there’ll take good care of you. I promise.”

One-Five looked back at Finn who nodded encouragingly, “You can trust anyone that he trusts.”

“Alright,” One-Five said. “Alright I believe you.” He took a step back and shot out his hand towards Finn. Finn reached out and grasped the outstretched arm, squeezing tight just below the elbow and nodding understandingly at his former comrade.

“You need us, we’ll come,” Finn said.

“Affirmative,” One-Five answered and then shook his head a bit, “and I’ll work on that name thing.” 

They let go and with one more nod One-Five turned and started walking towards his ride, slinging a small bag of basics Finn and the others scrounged up around the ship for him.

Poe stepped up next to Finn who was watching the man leave. He went to put his hand on Finn’s shoulder but One-Five turned and regarded Finn, hesitating.

“Eight-Finn. Did-you know what they were building on that planet. Don’t you?”

Poe turned to Finn who had stiffened at the question. His face had settled into a stony, unreadable look, but he took in a deep breath before he answered. “Yes. It’s a new Advancement facility. I got some readouts when doing recon but I suspected that was their initiative before it was confirmed.” He paused. “They’re trying to expand their army. After what happened to Starkiller. Aren’t they?”

One-Five opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he harshly whispered, “They’ve already started to raid villages for new recruits.” Then he quickly turned and walked towards the boat. This time he didn’t look back.

“Finn-” Poe began but Finn looked at Poe with hooded eyes and whispered, “I’ll report the findings when we get back to D’Qar. I promise.”

That wasn’t what he was going to say, but Poe just nodded. He could tell by the Finn’s posture that this information was difficult to bear.

Instead of reaching for his shoulder this time Poe instead cupped his hand around Finn’s elbow and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I know you will. But if you need to talk about it, please tell me. Whenever you’re ready love,” he said quietly as the soft breezes of Naboo caressed away the long hours they suffered together.

Finn nodded and turned to take Poe into his arms. They both melted together in the brief moment they could spare before leaving.

Quietly, Finn answered Poe’s question. “I will. I promise I will.”

 

* * *

 

 

Poe piloted the ship on its journey back to D’Qar. Iolo took over for Jess as co-pilot to let Finn spend more time checking on her hip and to let her rest.

As soon as they landed all four were quickly separated and whisked away for a long and tense debriefing and near interrogation on what they had learned, and endured, during their unexpected interaction with the Order.

Poe hated to watch Finn being led away but when Finn grasped his jacket and gave him a small smile and said quickly, “whoever gets out first has to bring some grub back home okay,” it settled his heart in a way that hadn’t felt at peace since they were kissing by the fire pit in what felt like a hundred years ago. 

“You bet,” Poe said with his own smile back before being led straight to a concerned and frowning General Organa with her assembly of soldiers and officers all waiting for answers.

Including BB-8, who whirled up to Poe with a series of concerned beeps and trills that didn’t quiet down until he assured his loyal little droid that he and the others were fine.

He was sure, after hours upon hours of his rundown of every minute detail he could recall from their time on the planet, that when he finally was able to drag himself back to their unit, their _home_ , Finn would be there waiting for him.

But he wasn’t. And that was…concerning.

Instead Iolo was hanging out on his couch, tapping away on a datapad lazily. They all had given each other access to their units at one time or another, though rarely were they used without good reason. When Iolo lifted his head and gave Poe a small smile in greeting he could see his own exhaustion mirrored in his friend’s eyes.

“What brings you here?” Poe asked, hoping whatever it was their conversation would be quick. If Finn was getting a more intense debriefing because of his First Order affiliations Poe wanted to put an end to that as soon as possible. BB-8 beeped at Iolo in greeting before rolling to its corner to charge and wait to be needed.

But Iolo didn’t seem intent on lingering when he stood and walked over to Poe, evidently eager on getting out what he wanted to say. “I just wanted to make sure, given everything that’s happened, that we’re good.”

Poe frowned at that. “Of course. You even have to ask?” Iolo had long since proven to Poe that he was wrong in his assumptions of Finn still being part of the First Order. His words still stung, but Poe knew himself well enough that he would get over it quick. Especially since Iolo was proven wrong.

“I do,” Iolo said. “Finn-I know he means something to you. That he means a lot. He-he’s not just someone you’re keeping around to keep you warm at night or whatever until the war’s over.”

“No,” Poe said firmly. “He’s most definitely not.”

“It was out of line, what I said. I’m sorry. And I want you to know that in the future if, Force forbid, we ever get stuck in a situation like that again, I won’t ever hesitate in having Finn’s back. Or in him having mine.”

Poe was silent as he regarded his words. After a beat he said, “I want you to promise me something.”

Not expecting that, Iolo nodded.

“If anything ever happens to me, I want you to look out for Finn.”

Shocked, Iolo took his own time before answering, “Poe. Don’t say things like that.”

But Poe shook his head. “I’ve got to. It’s just as likely to happen to any of us at any time,” he paused, “please Iolo. I need to know that Finn will be in good hands if-if-” he couldn’t finish. It was impossibly difficult for him to imagine not being able to live the rest of his life with Finn. But after everything they had gone through it had made him think about the future once again. He didn’t want Finn to end up alone and he trusted Iolo to make sure that wouldn’t happen.

“Alright,” Iolo quietly said before he reached out and grasped Poe’s shoulder. “I promise.”

Suddenly the door to the unit opened and Finn walked in carrying a tray with some food on it and a couple of utensils in his mouth. He rose his eyes in surprise at seeing Iolo grasping onto Poe as he stepped into the room.

“Hey honey,” Poe said relieved at seeing his lover. He walked away from Iolo to grab the tray with one hand and used the other to reach for the utensils. “Let’s put that mouth to better use huh?” he asked with a hint of mischief in his voice before giving Finn a quick kiss.

“That’s my cue to leave then,” Iolo said as he walked towards Finn, “Just wanted to say good night and good job today Finn. I’ve never really gotten to see you in action and I am beyond impressed.” He reached out and shook Finn’s hand. “Thank you for everything you did.”

“Anytime,” Finn nodded, a little surprised and even more grateful at Iolo’s words as he shook back.

Iolo gave Poe a parting smile before he left the room.

“I thought you were going to be held up all night,” Finn said to Poe after he placed the tray and utensils on their table.

Poe turned and wrapped his arms around Finn pulling him in close, “Thought so too. Glad I’m not.”

The two spent a few moments just holding each other, allowing relief and comfort to wrap around their bodies so that the day’s stress and tension could slowly fade away. It was Poe who pulled away first to run a hand through Finn’s hair. “What do you feel like first? ‘Fresher? Grub? Or just want to pass out?”

Finn moaned as Poe gently scratched a tender spot on his neck and grunted out, “Wouldn’t mind collapsing but we should hit the ’Fresher. Should clean up first before we mess up the bed.”

A small part of Poe had been hoping to chow down on some of that grub but when the option of naked and wet Finn became a reality his mind immediately went to that preference.

“Sounds fantastic,” Poe breathed out and Finn slowly smiled before he pulled the man in close and kissed him soundly. Despite his exhaustion his libido sprang to life and he suddenly couldn’t get enough of Finn’s kisses and strong hands rubbing his back and sides.

”’Fresher,” Poe gasped out as he reluctantly pulled himself away to tug Finn towards the ‘fresher’s door. With his lips gone Finn dove in for Poe’s supple neck and latched on tight, nibbling and sucking in the spot he knew would make Poe moan.

“Hng,” Poe whimpered incomprehensibly at the surge of pleasure that shot through him. His knees nearly buckled when he took another step back but Finn quickly pulled his face up and caught Poe before he could fall.

“Easy,” Finn said. “It’s been kind of a long day. Want me to carry you?” He was half-joking and half-serious.

The thought of Finn carrying him made Poe shiver in a way he should probably feel like was emasculating but was instead slightly appealing. Despite that Poe still shook his head and said, “No. I’m fine. Just, how about you save some of that sucking for once we’re inside the ‘fresher?” He lowered his voice a bit and grasped Finn’s hand to press it below his abdomen where his plainly evident member was growing.

Finn’s response was to give a low and possessive growling noise before he rubbed against Poe slowly. “You sure you want me to wait till we’re inside?” he offered before nodding his head to their table. “That looks sturdy enough.”

Besides that one time in his x-wing’s cockpit and their first time together, he and Finn hadn’t done much intimate actions outside of a bedroom. So the thought of Finn on his knees in front of Poe on their table was a damn good offer. But they were going to need a ‘fresher anyways and he wasn’t sure he would be able to stand after Finn was finished with him.

However he was definitely keeping that idea tucked way for sooner rather than later.

“’Fresher,” Poe chocked out, because Finn was still rubbing and he wasn’t sure he could possibly get harder. “Want to see you wet.”

Finn smirked at Poe’s stuttering pleas before grasping his collar and pulling him in for another kiss while simultaneously walking him backwards towards the ‘fresher.

While Poe blindly tried to hit the panel to open the door Finn did so with ease. Once inside Finn gently lowered the man onto their closed toilet seat and said, “Don’t get undressed yet. I want to do that.” And then in one swift move whipped off his shirt to give Poe a perfect view of every toned and sculpted muscle outlined under his perfect dark skin.

Poe whistled at Finn who blushed and rolled his eyes before reaching into the ‘fresher to turn it on. “I still have no idea how you do that,” Finn muttered as he tested the water’s temperature. He’d heard Poe and others whistle before when he joined the Resistance but didn’t know that was something one could do.

“Easy,” Poe said in a husky voice as he slid back in his seat so his legs could open invitingly. “You just put your lips together and blow.”

Finn turned back to Poe and teasingly slid off his pants before walking over and kneeling down in front of the man who had watched his every movement with hungry eyes. “Commander Dameron, I’m getting the feeling that you’re trying to tell me something?” He gently traced the outline of Poe’s straining member, causing the sitting man to groan and lift his hips helplessly. “And as a member of your unit you know that I am obliged to obey.”

Ever since their first time together Finn discovered that peppering their foreplay with some dirty Commander talk always seemed to get Poe to a panting, needy place. And this time was no proving to be no exception.

“I order you to get us naked and in that ‘fresher within the next sixty seconds or I’m going to do it myself,” Poe panted out before leaning forward to press his lips forcefully against Finn’s, a sure sign that he was desperate for the next step.

While they kissed Finn quickly and efficiently undid Poe’s pants. He pulled back from the kiss long enough to take off Poe’s shirt before Poe dived back in, this time latching himself onto Finn’s neck, biting hard enough to leave a bruise for days.

Finn stood, bringing a still attached Poe with him, and quickly shucked his pants off before sliding his large hands along Poe’s bottom and squeezing the cold flesh tight. Poe jerked back to gasp just as Finn pulled his hips in close so that their erections could brush together. Suddenly Finn lifted the man up so that his legs were around his waist and, realizing what was happening, Poe quickly threw his arms around Finn’s neck in surprise.

“This is turning me on way more than it should,” Poe hissed out as he nibbled on Finn’s ear as the man stepped into and then bypassed the spray to push a panting Poe against the wall, pinning him there as they met again for another kiss.

The thing Poe loved most about Finn’s kisses were that it felt as if Finn were kissing him like he would never get to kiss Poe again. They were always desperate and fierce, a physical and permanent reminder that Finn wanted him in the most carnal of ways.

Poe could kiss that man for days.

Unfortunately and fortunately Finn was ready to take that next step they had been teasing about for a while. He gently lowered Poe back to the ground before he slid to his knees, kissing and sucking on Poe’s stomach, hips and thighs before licking a sinfully long and perfect stripe up Poe’s hardened member.

“Oh Force Finn yes just like that,” Poe moaned, his eyes clenched shut in pleasure as Finn then closed his mouth around Poe and started to move. Poe wasn’t sure how long he was going to be able to hold on for, it had been a long and exhausting day. But Finn was taking his pace slow and was purposely drawing out his time. At one point he took Poe in so far his nose was nearly buried into Poe’s abdomen. At that Poe had to look down at Finn, gasping and loudly moaning Finn’s name, and nearly came right there at seeing the water droplets from the spray decorated on Finn’s face.

“Kriff,” Poe shouted and ran shaky hands through his curls before he whacked one of his hands against the side wall of the fresher and used the other to cradle Finn’s head before he then cried out, “I’m coming. Finn I’m coming.”

Finn pulled back and then quickly stood, capturing Poe’s lips once more before pressing their bodies together and wrapping a hand around both of their members. “Together,” Finn whispered in between kisses. “We’ll come together I’m so close Force Poe you’re so beautiful.” He began rubbing his hand up and down their members, causing enough friction to send them both over the edge.

“Ah! Yes,” Poe chocked out as he came. He could feel Finn tense up beside him as well and looked down to see them both come.

But Finn pressed a knuckle under Poe’s chin and brought his face back up to meet his. Poe knew Finn was taking in his bruised and tired face, wishing he could have been there to stop them from hurting him. To save him. But he just wanted to drown in Finn’s beautiful brown eyes. They kissed again, slow and sweet as they came down from the adrenaline of their love making.

“We should probably wash up,” Finn said after they finally parted.

Poe, who was currently placing a trail of kisses down Finn’s shoulder gave a placating humming noise. “Or we could just sleep here.”

“Pretty sure that isn’t an option,” Finn said with a chuckle as he reached for the soap. “But you’re more than welcome to keep that up while I wash you.”

“Sounds good to me,” Poe said with a smile as he went back to peppering his lover with more kisses.

Later, after they had washed and dried, re-bandaged Poe’s head wound (much to Poe’s annoyance) and tried to eat a few bites of food did they eventually collapse into bed. Neither were required for any kind of active duty other than a follow-up debriefing later that afternoon, so they were ready for a long rest.

As they settled into bed, Poe wrapped an arm around Finn from behind, pulling him in close and burying his face into the back of the man’s neck. He loved that he smelled like his favorite soap.

“I’m so kriffing proud of you Finn,” Poe mumbled, his lips brushing against Finn’s soft skin. “Iolo was dead on, you were beyond impressive back on that planet with just…everything. Couldn’t have asked for a better person to do what you did.”

He was surprised when Finn didn’t say anything and for a moment Poe wondered if Finn had fallen asleep. But instead Finn turned around in Poe’s hold and when they were face to face Poe was even more surprised when Finn looked concerned.

“Does he still think I’m a traitor though?” Finn asked and it shocked Poe numb.

“H-how did you know?” Poe asked after he found his voice.

“Hasn’t been as subtle about it as he thought,” Finn began with a sad sigh. “Back in my early advancement years we were given basic trust-assessment training in case we showed promising signs for espionage or undercover work. I didn’t obviously, but learning how to tell if someone doesn’t trust you or thinks you might be working for an enemy group was something that always kind of stuck with me.”

Poe ran a comforting hand across Finn’s cheek and said, “I’m sorry you went through that. And I’m sorry that Iolo felt that way about you. I had no idea about it myself until yesterday.” He brought his hand down to grasp Finn’s and gave his scarred knuckles a few kisses. “But he doesn’t think that anymore. I don’t think he entirely believed it himself. Just with everything that happened…you proved him so wrong Finn. Just by being you. He’d blast a squadron of troopers if it meant keeping you safe.”

Finn nodded, even if he didn’t seem entirely convinced. “I’m glad everyone got out okay. You have a solid squad Poe. They’re the ones you should be proud of.”

“Why can’t you just take a damn compliment?” Poe muttered with a fond smile, pulling the other man in close. Though his voice was light, his question was just the beginning of a slew of other questions that were swirling around his mind. He was desperate to ask Finn so many things. Why hadn’t he ever told him he was in line to become a squad leader? Why didn’t he ever share stories about his old unit members? And what did One-Five’s fear of a trooper named Zeros mean?

“Thank you,” Finn muttered against Poe’s chest, interrupting his marathon of thoughts. “Thank you for being proud of me.” He reached up and curled his fist into Poe’s shirt, holding the man tight as his words trembled with slight emotion.

Poe didn’t miss how exhausted Finn sounded. Suddenly he realized that while everyone had a break at some point during the past twenty four hours, Finn was the only one who had remained awake and vigilant the whole time.

“Always love,” Poe whispered, kissing the top of the man’s head. “I’ve always been proud of you. Ever since that first moment we met and you risked everything to escape the Order. Knew you were something special.”

He ran a soothing hand over Finn’s hair, feeling the coarse stubble under his hand. “Now get some sleep. It’s been a long day. Too long. You deserve some rest.”

“You’ll be here when I get up?” Finn asked, his words heavy with sleep.

“You bet,” Poe promised. “We’ll get breakfast. Or maybe dinner by the time I wake up. I’m so tired I could sleep for a week.”

“Good,” Finn barely mumbled before his breathing evened out and within moments Poe knew he was asleep.

“Good,” Poe echoed before he closed his eyes, eager to join Finn in a long-overdue rest.

For a moment he remembered the barrage of unanswered questions that had been filtering through his mind, but he pushed them aside. Here, finally safe at last with Finn, he knew his questions could wait until later.

 

 


	6. Epilogue

_**Bastatha System in the Outer Rim: Planet Designation BS-7680** _

“He was here.”

Captain Phasma surveyed the damaged camping site that once belonged to the escaped Resistance members. It galled her that the fugitives escaped her troops fierce grasp with seeming ease. And it beyond offended her that they had taken out a small number of her troops to do so. Her fingers twitched longingly to put a blaster’s barrel to their wretched, freedom loving foreheads and pull the trigger.

“How can you be sure?” She asked the young man kneeling on the ground, focused on something she and the other troopers inspecting the tattered and broken remains surrounding them had missed. Night would be engulfing the planet soon, but that didn’t phase her. The planet would be just as empty as they found it soon enough. While the schedule to create a new and better advancement facility was now inevitably delayed due to the Resistance knowledge of their plans, it was no matter. They were lucky that they hadn’t gotten too far into development, and would simply start fresher, somewhere new.

“Look familiar?”

The man didn’t turn to her, but he raised a gloved hand and beckoned her towards him. She paused before moving to regard him. Once her student, now more of a direct protégé, he had the skills, and even more important the unyielding desire, to specially capture these fugitives. Had he not already had a name, she would have even given him one. Instead she had decorated him in an own outfit of choice; basic dark fabric, thick boots and a mid-length leather jacket. She wanted to prove that she was serious in giving him carte blanch to carry out in any way he chose his one and only mission.

Find fugitives 2187 and 2309.

And destroy them.

Not something easily accomplished in stormtrooper armor.

“What am I looking at?” Phasma asked when she was beside the man.

“These drawings. In the dirt,” he answered as he pointed to a series of lines and circles interrupted by full and half-footprints that had carelessly treaded over them.

“I’m not in the mood for games Zeros. Explain,” Phasma ordered. She looked down at the dark man, and could see the scar that ran along the side of his face.

“It’s a bit trooded on, but I can make it out enough. The Order’s Advancement Facility,” the former member of Finn’s squad said as he stood and then looked up at the sky. “FN-2187 told them about it.” He placed a hand on the butt of a blaster that hung from a holster around his waist. It was strange to feel his weapon like that, he had often noticed, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t prefer it this way than having a heavy one strapped around his back.

“That traitor,” Phasma hissed, surprised and displeased by this information. However she quickly composed herself. “No matter though. He couldn’t possibly know its location.”

“No,” Zeros said. “And even if he did. He wouldn’t tell them.” He looked back down then turned to Phasma, “He knows what would happen if the Resistance ever tried to take the Advancement Facility. He knows the kind of security measures they have in place.”

Even though she knew he couldn’t see it, she smiled. “Yes. The same security they’ll have at the new site.” She looked around them. “If there’s no other information here that will bring us closer to our initiative then I suggest we disembark.” When she finished speaking she turned and began to walk towards their transport.

Zeros didn’t follow. Not yet. He turned around and looked at the burnt tents, the broken chairs, and the empty fire pit. He could imagine FN-2187 sitting there with his new squad. Laughing. Talking. Eating with his new comrades who, for reasons Zeros would never understand, he would kill the men and women he’d been raised with if it meant keeping those traitors alive.

Kill his own squad members.

He quickly unholstered and aimed his gun at a distant tree. He imagined the bark was FN-2187’s skin, the branches his arms, the hollow his heart. Zeros imagined pulling the trigger, and watching his former squad leader’s chest melt as the blaster passed through him.

He then smiled, slid his blaster back in the holster, and turned to follow Phasma back to their transport.

“Soon Eight-Seven,” he said. “Soon.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This definitely ended up being longer than I anticipated. I hope you enjoyed it and what more will come that builds upon what you’ve read at the end. Thank you for any love that you share! Also I've been toying with the idea of doing some small one shots on some of the original characters I've created here and in my other stories. If you are interested and have any prompts please let me know! And if not that's cool too! Hopefully the next story won't take me too long to finish I've already started it!


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